Sample records for acid amide hydrolase

A method for enhancing amidohydrolase activity of Fatty AcidAmideHydrolase (FAAH) is disclosed. The method comprising administering a phenoxyacyl-ethanolamide that causes the enhanced activity. The enhanced activity can have numerous effects on biological organisms including, for example, enhancing the growth of certain seedlings.

A method for enhancing amidohydrolase activity of Fatty AcidAmideHydrolase (FAAH) is disclosed. The method comprising administering a phenoxyacylethanolamide that causes the enhanced activity. The enhanced activity can have numerous effects on biological organisms including, for example, enhancing the growth of certain seedlings. The subject matter disclosed herein relates to enhancers of amidohydrolase activity.

Firefly luciferase is homologous to fatty acyl-CoA synthetases. We hypothesized that the firefly luciferase substrate d-luciferin and its analogs are fatty acid mimics that are ideally suited to probe the chemistry of enzymes that release fatty acid products. Here, we synthesized luciferin amides and found that these molecules are hydrolyzed to substrates for firefly luciferase by the enzyme fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH). In the presence of luciferase, these molecules enable highly sensitive and selective bioluminescent detection of FAAH activity in vitro, in live cells, and in vivo. The potency and tissue distribution of FAAH inhibitors can be imaged in live mice, and luciferin amides serve as exemplary reagents for greatly improved bioluminescence imaging in FAAH-expressing tissues such as the brain.

Fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) is responsible for the hydrolysis of several important endogenous fatty acidamides (FAAs), including anandamide, oleoylethanolamide and palmitoylethanolamide. Because specific FAAs interact with cannabinoid and vanilloid receptors, they are often referred to as 'endocannabinoids' or 'endovanilloids'. Initial interest in this area, therefore, has focused on developing FAAH inhibitors to augment the actions of FAAs and reduce pain. However, recent literature has shown that these FAAs - through interactions with unique receptors (extracellular and intracellular) - can induce a diverse array of effects that include appetite suppression, modulation of lipid and glucose metabolism, vasodilation, cardiac function and inflammation. This review gives an overview of FAAs and diverse FAAH inhibitors and their potential therapeutic utility in pain and non-pain indications.

A number of studies have examined the ability of the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide to elicit Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-like subjective effects, as modeled through the THC discrimination paradigm. In the present study, we compared transgenic mice lacking fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme primarily responsible for anandamide catabolism, to wildtype counterparts in a THC discrimination procedure. THC (5.6 mg/kg) served as a discriminative stimulus in both genotypes, with sim...

Inhibitors of fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) increase endogenous levels of anandamide (a cannabinoid CB[subscript 1]-receptor ligand) and oleoylethanolamide and palmitoylethanolamide (OEA and PEA, ligands for alpha-type peroxisome proliferator-activated nuclear receptors, PPAR-alpha) when and where they are naturally released in the brain.…

Pain and inflammation are major therapeutic areas for drug discovery. Current drugs for these pathologies have limited efficacy, however, and often cause a number of unwanted side effects. In the present study, we identify the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug carprofen as a multitarget-directed ligand that simultaneously inhibits cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), COX-2, and fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH). Additionally, we synthesized and tested several derivatives of carprofen, sharing this multitarget activity. This may result in improved analgesic efficacy and reduced side effects (Naidu et al. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.2009, 329, 48-56; Fowler, C. J.; et al. J. Enzyme Inhib. Med. Chem.2012, in press; Sasso et al. Pharmacol. Res.2012, 65, 553). The new compounds are among the most potent multitarget FAAH/COX inhibitors reported so far in the literature and thus may represent promising starting points for the discovery of new analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Full Text Available N-Acylethanolamines (NAEs are bioactive lipids derived from the hydrolysis of the membrane phospholipid N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE. In animal systems this reaction is part of the endocannabinoid signaling pathway, which regulates a variety of physiological processes. The signaling function of NAE is terminated by fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH, which hydrolyzes NAE to ethanolamine and free fatty acid. Our previous work in Arabidopsis thaliana showed that overexpression of AtFAAH (At5g64440 lowered endogenous levels of NAEs in seeds, consistent with its role in NAE signal termination. Reduced NAE levels were accompanied by an accelerated growth phenotype, increased sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA, enhanced susceptibility to bacterial pathogens, and early flowering. Here we investigated the nature of the early flowering phenotype of AtFAAH overexpression. AtFAAH overexpressors flowered several days earlier than wild type and AtFAAH knockouts under both non-inductive short day (SD and inductive long day (LD conditions. Microarray analysis revealed that the FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT gene, which plays a major role in regulating flowering time, and one target MADS box transcription factor, SEPATALLA3 (SEP3, were elevated in AtFAAH overexpressors. Furthermore, AtFAAH overexpressors, with the early flowering phenotype had lower endogenous NAE levels in leaves compared to wild type prior to flowering. Exogenous application of NAE 12:0, which was reduced by up to 30% in AtFAAH overexpressors, delayed the onset of flowering in wild type plants. We conclude that the early flowering phenotype of AtFAAH overexpressors is, in part, explained by elevated FT gene expression resulting from the enhanced NAE hydrolase activity of AtFAAH, suggesting that NAE metabolism may participate in floral signaling pathways.

A radiochromatographic method has been set up in order to determine fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) activity, based on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and on-line scintillation counting. The reaction products were separated using a C18 column eluted with methanol-water-acetic acid and quantitated with an external standard. Baseline separation of the acid product from the substrate was completed in less than 4 min, with a detection limit of 2.5 fmol arachidonic acid at a signal to noise ratio of 4:1. The method enabled to determine the kinetic constants (i.e., apparent Km of 2.0 +/- 0.2 microM and Vmax of 800 +/- 75 pmol. min-1. mg protein-1 toward anandamide) and the substrate specificity of human brain FAAH, as well as the extent of enzyme inhibition by some anandamide congeners. The femtomole sensitivity and the accuracy of the method allow detection and characterization of the activity of FAAH in very minute tissue samples or in samples where the enzymatic activity is very low. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Background and purpose: Recent studies have demonstrated that the naturally occurring isoflavone compounds genistein and daidzein inhibit the hydrolysis of anandamide by fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) in the low micromolar concentration range. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether this property is shared by flavonoids. Experimental approach: The hydrolysis of anandamide in homogenates and intact cells was measured using the substrate labelled in the ethanolamine part of the molecule. Key results: Twenty compounds were tested. Among the commonly occurring flavonoids, kaempferol was the most potent, inhibiting FAAH in a competitive manner with a Ki value of 5 μM. Among flavonoids with a more restricted distribution in nature, the two most active toward FAAH were 7-hydroxyflavone (IC50 value of 0.5–1 μM depending on the solvent used) and 3,7-dihydroxyflavone (IC50 value 2.2 μM). All three compounds reduced the FAAH-dependent uptake of anandamide and its metabolism by intact RBL2H3 basophilic leukaemia cells. Conclusions and implications: Inhibition of FAAH is an additional in vitro biochemical property of flavonoids. Kaempferol, 7-hydroxyflavone and 3,7-dihydroxyflavone may be useful as templates for the synthesis of novel compounds, which target several systems that are involved in the control of inflammation and cancer. PMID:18552875

Background CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the brain are known to participate in the regulation of reward-based behaviors, however, the contribution of each of the endocannabinoid transmitters, anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), to these behaviors remains undefined. To address this question, we assessed the effects of URB597, a selective anandamide deactivation inhibitor, as a reinforcer of drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior in squirrel monkeys. Methods We investigated the reinforcing effects of the fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 in monkeys trained to intravenously self-administer Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), anandamide or cocaine, and quantified brain endocannabinoid levels using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. We measured brain FAAH activity using an ex vivo enzyme assay. Results URB597 (0.3 mg/kg, intravenous) blocked FAAH activity and increased anandamide levels throughout the monkey brain. This effect was accompanied by a marked compensatory decrease in 2-AG levels. Monkeys did not self-administer URB597 and the drug did not promote reinstatement of extinguished drug-seeking behavior previously maintained by THC, anandamide, or cocaine. Pretreatment with URB597 did not modify self-administration of THC or cocaine even though, as expected, it significantly potentiated anandamide self-administration. Conclusions In the monkey brain, the FAAH inhibitor URB597 increases anandamide levels while causing a compensatory down-regulation in 2-AG levels. These effects are accompanied by a striking lack of reinforcing properties, which distinguishes URB597 from direct-acting cannabinoid agonists such as THC. Our results reveal an unexpected functional heterogeneity within the endocannabinoid signaling system, and suggest that FAAH inhibitors might be used therapeutically without risk of abuse or triggering of relapse to drug abuse. PMID:18814866

The effect of lipopolysaccharide inhalation upon lung anandamide levels, anandamide synthetic enzymes and fatty acidamidehydrolase has been investigated. Lipopolysaccharide exposure produced a dramatic extravasation of neutrophils and release of tumour necrosis factor a into the bronchoalveolar......-acyltransferase and N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D and the activity of fatty acidamidehydrolase in lung membrane fractions did not change significantly following the exposure to lipopolysaccharide. The non-selective fatty acidamidehydrolase inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride was a less potent...... inhibitor of lung fatty acidamidehydrolase than expected from the literature, and a dose of 30 mg/kg i.p. of this compound, which produced a complete inhibition of brain anandamide metabolism, only partially inhibited the lung metabolic activity....

While the etiology of depression is not clearly understood at the present time, this mental disorder is thought be a complex and multifactorial trait with important genetic and environmental contributing factors. The role of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in depressive behavior was examined in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat strain, a genetic model of depression. Our findings revealed selective abnormalities in the eCB system in the brains of WKY rats compared to Wistar (WIS) rats. Immunoblot analysis indicated significantly higher levels of fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) in frontal cortex and hippocampus of WKY rats with no alteration in the level of N-arachidonyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine specific phospholipase-D (NAPE-PLD). Significantly higher levels of CB1 receptor-mediated G-protein coupling and lower levels of anandamide (AEA) were found in frontal cortex and hippocampus of WKY rats. While the levels of brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) were significantly lower in frontal cortex and hippocampus of WKY rats compared to WIS rats, pharmacological inhibition of FAAH elevated BDNF levels in WKY rats. Inhibition of FAAH enzyme also significantly increased sucrose consumption and decreased immobility in the forced swim test in WKY rats. These findings suggest a critical role for the eCB system and BDNF in the genetic predisposition to depressive-like behavior in WKY rats and point to the potential therapeutic utility of eCB enhancing agents in depressive disorder.

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: While the etiology of depression is not clearly understood at the present time, this mental disorder is thought be a complex and multifactorial trait with important genetic and environmental contributing factors. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The role of the endocannabinoid (eCB system in depressive behavior was examined in Wistar Kyoto (WKY rat strain, a genetic model of depression. Our findings revealed selective abnormalities in the eCB system in the brains of WKY rats compared to Wistar (WIS rats. Immunoblot analysis indicated significantly higher levels of fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH in frontal cortex and hippocampus of WKY rats with no alteration in the level of N-arachidonyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine specific phospholipase-D (NAPE-PLD. Significantly higher levels of CB1 receptor-mediated G-protein coupling and lower levels of anandamide (AEA were found in frontal cortex and hippocampus of WKY rats. While the levels of brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF were significantly lower in frontal cortex and hippocampus of WKY rats compared to WIS rats, pharmacological inhibition of FAAH elevated BDNF levels in WKY rats. Inhibition of FAAH enzyme also significantly increased sucrose consumption and decreased immobility in the forced swim test in WKY rats. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest a critical role for the eCB system and BDNF in the genetic predisposition to depressive-like behavior in WKY rats and point to the potential therapeutic utility of eCB enhancing agents in depressive disorder.

Background One of the major mechanisms for terminating the actions of the endocannabinoid anandamide is hydrolysis by fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) and inhibitors of the enzyme were suggested as potential treatment for human cannabis dependence. However, the status of brain FAAH in cannabis use disorder is unknown. Methods Brain FAAH binding was measured with positron emission tomography and [11C]CURB in 22 healthy control subjects and ten chronic, frequent cannabis users during early abstinence. The FAAH genetic polymorphism (rs324420) and blood, urine and hair levels of cannabinoids and metabolites were determined. Results In cannabis users FAAH binding was significantly lower by 14–20% across the brain regions examined as compared to matched control subjects (overall Cohen’s d=0.96). Lower binding was negatively correlated with cannabinoid concentrations in blood and urine and was associated with higher trait impulsiveness. Conclusions Lower FAAH binding levels in the brain may be a consequence of chronic and recent cannabis exposure and could contribute to cannabis withdrawal. This effect should be considered in the development of novel treatment strategies for cannabis use disorder that target FAAH and endocannabinoids. Further studies are needed to examine possible changes in FAAH binding during prolonged cannabis abstinence and whether lower FAAH binding predates drug use. PMID:27345297

Introduction: Fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) is the enzyme responsible for metabolising the endogenous cannabinoid, anandamide, and thus represents an important target for molecular imaging. To date, no radiotracer has been shown to be useful for imaging of FAAH using either positron emission tomography (PET) or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). We here determine the suitability of a novel carbon-11-labeled inhibitor of FAAH via ex vivo biodistribution studies in rat brain in conjunction with pharmacological challenges. Methods: A potent irreversible inhibitor of FAAH, URB694, radiolabeled with carbon-11 in the carbonyl position ([{sup 11}C]CURB), was administered to male rats via tail-vein injection. Rats were sacrificed at various time points postinjection, and tissue samples were dissected, counted and weighed. Specific binding to FAAH was investigated by pretreatment of animals with URB694 or URB597. For metabolism and mechanism of binding studies, whole brains were excised post-radiotracer injection, homogenised and extracted exhaustively with 80% aq. acetonitrile to determine the time course and fraction of radioactivity that was irreversibly bound to brain parenchyma. Results: Upon intravenous injection into rats, [{sup 11}C]CURB showed high brain uptake [standard uptake value (SUV) of 1.6-2.4 at 5 min] with little washout over time, which is characteristic of irreversible binding. Highest uptake of radioactivity was seen in the cortex, intermediate in the cerebellum and lowest in the hypothalamus, reflecting the reported distribution of FAAH. Brain uptake of radioactivity was decreased in a dose-dependent manner by pretreatment with increasing amounts of URB694, demonstrating that binding was saturable. Pretreatment with the well-characterised FAAH inhibitor, URB597, reduced binding in all brain regions by 70-80%. Homogenised brain extraction experiments demonstrated unequivocally that [{sup 11}C]CURB was irreversibly bound to FAAH

Introduction: Fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) is the enzyme responsible for metabolising the endogenous cannabinoid, anandamide, and thus represents an important target for molecular imaging. To date, no radiotracer has been shown to be useful for imaging of FAAH using either positron emission tomography (PET) or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). We here determine the suitability of a novel carbon-11-labeled inhibitor of FAAH via ex vivo biodistribution studies in rat brain in conjunction with pharmacological challenges. Methods: A potent irreversible inhibitor of FAAH, URB694, radiolabeled with carbon-11 in the carbonyl position ([ 11 C]CURB), was administered to male rats via tail-vein injection. Rats were sacrificed at various time points postinjection, and tissue samples were dissected, counted and weighed. Specific binding to FAAH was investigated by pretreatment of animals with URB694 or URB597. For metabolism and mechanism of binding studies, whole brains were excised post-radiotracer injection, homogenised and extracted exhaustively with 80% aq. acetonitrile to determine the time course and fraction of radioactivity that was irreversibly bound to brain parenchyma. Results: Upon intravenous injection into rats, [ 11 C]CURB showed high brain uptake [standard uptake value (SUV) of 1.6-2.4 at 5 min] with little washout over time, which is characteristic of irreversible binding. Highest uptake of radioactivity was seen in the cortex, intermediate in the cerebellum and lowest in the hypothalamus, reflecting the reported distribution of FAAH. Brain uptake of radioactivity was decreased in a dose-dependent manner by pretreatment with increasing amounts of URB694, demonstrating that binding was saturable. Pretreatment with the well-characterised FAAH inhibitor, URB597, reduced binding in all brain regions by 70-80%. Homogenised brain extraction experiments demonstrated unequivocally that [ 11 C]CURB was irreversibly bound to FAAH. Conclusions

Introduction: Fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) has a significant role in regulating endocannabinoid signaling in the central nervous system. As such, FAAH inhibitors are being actively sought for pain, addiction, and other indications. This has led to the recent pursuit of positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers targeting FAAH. We report herein the preparation and preclinical evaluation of [ 11 C-carbonyl]PF-04457845, an isotopologue of the potent irreversible FAAH inhibitor. Methods: PF-04457845 was radiolabeled at the carbonyl position via automated [ 11 C]CO 2 -fixation. Ex vivo brain biodistribution of [ 11 C-carbonyl]PF-04457845 was carried out in conscious rats. Specificity was determined by pre-administration of PF-04457845 or URB597 prior to [ 11 C-carbonyl]PF-04457845. In a separate experiment, rats injected with the title radiotracer had whole brains excised, homogenized and extracted to examine irreversible binding to brain parenchyma. Results: The title compound was prepared in 5 ± 1% (n = 4) isolated radiochemical yield based on starting [ 11 C]CO 2 (decay uncorrected) within 25 min from end-of-bombardment in > 98% radiochemical purity and a specific activity of 73.5 ± 8.2 GBq/μmol at end-of-synthesis. Uptake of [ 11 C-carbonyl]PF-04457845 into the rat brain was high (range of 1.2–4.4 SUV), heterogeneous, and in accordance with reported FAAH distribution. Saturable binding was demonstrated by a dose-dependent reduction in brain radioactivity uptake following pre-treatment with PF-04457845. Pre-treatment with the prototypical FAAH inhibitor, URB597, reduced the brain radiotracer uptake in all regions by 71–81%, demonstrating specificity for FAAH. The binding of [ 11 C-carbonyl]PF-04457845 to FAAH at 40 min post injection was irreversible as 98% of the radioactivity in the brain could not be extracted. Conclusions: [ 11 C-carbonyl]PF-04457845 was rapidly synthesized via an automated radiosynthesis. Ex vivo biodistribution studies in

This perspective was adapted from a Career Achievement Award talk given at the International Cannabinoid Research Society Symposium in Bukovina, Poland on June 27, 2016. As a biochemist working in the neurosciences, I was always fascinated with neurotransmitter inactivation. In 1993 we identified an enzyme activity that breaks down anandamide. We called the enzyme anandamide amidase, now called FAAH. We and other laboratories developed FAAH inhibitors that were useful reagents that also proved to have beneficial physiological effects and until recently, new generations of inhibitors were in clinical trials. Nearly all neurotransmitters are water soluble and as such, require a transmembrane protein transporter to pass through the lipid membrane for inactivation inside the cell. However, using model systems, we and others have shown that this is unnecessary for anandamide, an uncharged hydrophobic molecule that readily diffuses across the cellular membrane. Interestingly, its uptake is driven by the concentration gradient resulting from its breakdown mainly by FAAH localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. We identified the FABPs as intracellular carriers that "solubilize" anandamide, transporting anandamide to FAAH. Compounds that bind to FABPs block AEA breakdown, raising its level. The cannabinoids (THC and CBD) also were discovered to bind FABPs and this may be one of the mechanisms by which CBD works in childhood epilepsy, raising anandamide levels. Targeting FABPs may be advantageous since they have some tissue specificity and do not require reactive serine hydrolase inhibitors, as does FAAH, with potential for off-target reactions. At the International Cannabis Research Society Symposium in 1992, Raphe Mechoulam revealed that his laboratory isolated an endogenous lipid molecule that binds to the CB1 receptor (cannabinoid receptor type 1) and this became the milestone paper published in December of that year describing anandamide (AEA, Devane et al., 1992). As to

Full Text Available Increased endocannabinoid tonus by dual-action fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH and substrate selective cyclooxygenase (COX-2 inhibitors is a promising approach for pain-relief. One such compound with this profile is 2-(2-fluorobiphenyl-4-yl-N-(3-methylpyridin-2-ylpropanamide (Flu-AM1. These activities are shown by Flu-AM1 racemate, but it is not known whether its two single enantiomers behave differently, as is the case towards COX-2 for the parent flurbiprofen enantiomers. Further, the effects of the compound upon COX-2-derived lipids in intact cells are not known.COX inhibition was determined using an oxygraphic method with arachidonic acid and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG as substrates. FAAH was assayed in mouse brain homogenates using anandamide (AEA as substrate. Lipidomic analysis was conducted in unstimulated and lipopolysaccharide + interferon γ- stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Both enantiomers inhibited COX-2 in a substrate-selective and time-dependent manner, with IC50 values in the absence of a preincubation phase of: (R-Flu-AM1, COX-1 (arachidonic acid 6 μM; COX-2 (arachidonic acid 20 μM; COX-2 (2-AG 1 μM; (S-Flu-AM1, COX-1 (arachidonic acid 3 μM; COX-2 (arachidonic acid 10 μM; COX-2 (2-AG 0.7 μM. The compounds showed no enantiomeric selectivity in their FAAH inhibitory properties. (R-Flu-AM1 (10 μM greatly inhibited the production of prostaglandin D2 and E2 in both unstimulated and lipopolysaccharide + interferon γ- stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Levels of 2-AG were not affected either by (R-Flu-AM1 or by 10 μM flurbiprofen, either alone or in combination with the FAAH inhibitor URB597 (1 μM.Both enantiomers of Flu-AM1 are more potent inhibitors of 2-AG compared to arachidonic acid oxygenation by COX-2. Inhibition of COX in lipopolysaccharide + interferon γ- stimulated RAW 264.7 cells is insufficient to affect 2-AG levels despite the large induction of COX-2 produced by this treatment.

Full Text Available Abstract Background The endocannabinoid system (ECS is a ubiquitously expressed signalling system, with involvement in lipid metabolism and obesity. There are reported changes in obesity of blood concentrations of the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA and 2-arachidonoylglcyerol (2-AG, and of adipose tissue expression levels of the two key catabolic enzymes of the ECS, fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH and monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL. Surprisingly, however, the activities of these enzymes have not been assayed in conditions of increasing adiposity. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether FAAH and MGL activities in human subcutaneous adipocytes are affected by body mass index (BMI, or other markers of adiposity and metabolism. Methods Subcutaneous abdominal mature adipocytes, fasting blood samples and anthropometric measurements were obtained from 28 metabolically healthy subjects representing a range of BMIs. FAAH and MGL activities were assayed in mature adipocytes using radiolabelled substrates. Serum glucose, insulin and adipokines were determined using ELISAs. Results MGL activity showed no relationship with BMI or other adiposity indices, metabolic markers (fasting serum insulin or glucose or serum adipokine levels (adiponectin, leptin or resistin. In contrast, FAAH activity in subcutaneous adipocytes correlated positively with BMI and waist circumference, but not with skinfold thickness, metabolic markers or serum adipokine levels. Conclusions In this study, novel evidence is provided that FAAH activity in subcutaneous mature adipocytes increases with BMI, whereas MGL activity does not. These findings support the hypothesis that some components of the ECS are upregulated with increasing adiposity in humans, and that AEA and 2-AG may be regulated differently.

Inhibition of fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH) or monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), the primary hydrolytic enzymes for the respective endocannabinoids N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) and 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG), produces antinociception but with minimal cannabimimetic side effects. Although selective inhibitors of either enzyme often show partial efficacy in various nociceptive models, their combined blockade elicits augmented antinociceptive effects, but side effects emerge. Moreover, complete and prolonged MAGL blockade leads to cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) receptor functional tolerance, which represents another challenge in this potential therapeutic strategy. Therefore, the present study tested whether full FAAH inhibition combined with partial MAGL inhibition would produce sustained antinociceptive effects with minimal cannabimimetic side effects. Accordingly, we tested a high dose of the FAAH inhibitor PF-3845 (N-​3-​pyridinyl-​4-​[[3-​[[5-​(trifluoromethyl)-​2-​pyridinyl]oxy]phenyl]methyl]-​1-​piperidinecarboxamide; 10 mg/kg) given in combination with a low dose of the MAGL inhibitor JZL184 [4-nitrophenyl 4-(dibenzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl(hydroxy)methyl)piperidine-1-carboxylate] (4 mg/kg) in mouse models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. This combination of inhibitors elicited profound increases in brain AEA levels (>10-fold) but only 2- to 3-fold increases in brain 2-AG levels. This combination produced significantly greater antinociceptive effects than single enzyme inhibition and did not elicit common cannabimimetic effects (e.g., catalepsy, hypomotility, hypothermia, and substitution for Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol in the drug-discrimination assay), although these side effects emerged with high-dose JZL184 (i.e., 100 mg/kg). Finally, repeated administration of this combination did not lead to tolerance to its antiallodynic actions in the carrageenan assay or CB1 receptor functional tolerance. Thus, full FAAH inhibition

Full Text Available Abstract Background Neuropathic pain is a chronic disease resulting from dysfunction within the "pain matrix". The basolateral amygdala (BLA can modulate cortical functions and interactions between this structure and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC are important for integrating emotionally salient information. In this study, we have investigated the involvement of the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1 and the catabolic enzyme fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH in the morphofunctional changes occurring in the pre-limbic/infra-limbic (PL/IL cortex in neuropathic rats. Results The effect of N-arachidonoyl-serotonin (AA-5-HT, a hybrid FAAH inhibitor and TPRV1 channel antagonist, was tested on nociceptive behaviour associated with neuropathic pain as well as on some phenotypic changes occurring on PL/IL cortex pyramidal neurons. Those neurons were identified as belonging to the BLA-mPFC pathway by electrical stimulation of the BLA followed by hind-paw pressoceptive stimulus application. Changes in their spontaneous and evoked activity were studied in sham or spared nerve injury (SNI rats before or after repeated treatment with AA-5-HT. Consistently with the SNI-induced changes in PL/IL cortex neurons which underwent profound phenotypic reorganization, suggesting a profound imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory responses in the mPFC neurons, we found an increase in extracellular glutamate levels, as well as the up-regulation of FAAH and TRPV1 in the PL/IL cortex of SNI rats. Daily treatment with AA-5-HT restored cortical neuronal activity, normalizing the electrophysiological changes associated with the peripheral injury of the sciatic nerve. Finally, a single acute intra-PL/IL cortex microinjection of AA-5-HT transiently decreased allodynia more effectively than URB597 or I-RTX, a selective FAAH inhibitor or a TRPV1 blocker, respectively. Conclusion These data suggest a possible involvement of endovanilloids in the cortical

Full Text Available This perspective was adapted from a Career Achievement Award talk given at the International Cannabinoid Research Society Symposium in Bukovina, Poland on June 27, 2016. As a biochemist working in the neurosciences, I was always fascinated with neurotransmitter inactivation. In 1993 we identified an enzyme activity that breaks down anandamide. We called the enzyme anandamide amidase, now called FAAH. We and other laboratories developed FAAH inhibitors that were useful reagents that also proved to have beneficial physiological effects and, until recently, new generations of inhibitors were in clinical trials. Nearly all neurotransmitters are water soluble and, as such, require a transmembrane protein transporter to pass through the lipid membrane for inactivation inside the cell. However, using model systems, we and others have shown that this is unnecessary for anandamide, an uncharged hydrophobic molecule that readily diffuses across the cellular membrane. Interestingly, its uptake is driven by the concentration gradient resulting from its breakdown mainly by FAAH localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. We identified the FABPs as intracellular carriers that solubilize anandamide, transporting anandamide to FAAH. Compounds that bind to FABPs block AEA breakdown, raising its level. The cannabinoids (THC and CBD also were discovered to bind FABPs and this may be one of the mechanisms by which CBD works in childhood epilepsy, raising anandamide levels. Targeting FABPs may be advantageous since they have some tissue specificity and do not require reactive serine hydrolase inhibitors, as does FAAH, with potential for off-target reactions.

Thermally synthesized poly(aspartic acid) (tPAA) is a bio-based, biocompatible, biodegradable, and water-soluble polymer that has a high proportion of β-Asp units and equivalent moles of D- and L-Asp units. Poly(aspartic acid) (PAA) hydrolase-1 and hydrolase-2 are tPAA biodegradation enzymes purified from Gram-negative bacteria. PAA hydrolase-1 selectively cleaves amide bonds between β-Asp units via an endo-type process, whereas PAA hydrolase-2 catalyzes the exo-type hydrolysis of the products of tPAA hydrolysis by PAA hydrolase-1. The novel reactivity of PAA hydrolase-1 makes it a good candidate for a biocatalyst in β-peptide synthesis. This mini-review gives an overview of PAA hydrolases with emphasis on their biochemical and functional properties, in particular, PAA hydrolase-1. Functionally related enzymes, such as poly(R-3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerases and β-aminopeptidases, are compared to PAA hydrolases. This mini-review also provides findings that offer an insight into the catalytic mechanisms of PAA hydrolase-1 from Pedobacter sp. KP-2.

Full Text Available Abstract Background Several factors contribute to the deterioration in synaptic plasticity which accompanies age and one of these is neuroinflammation. This is characterized by increased microglial activation associated with increased production of proinflammatory cytokines like interleukin-1β (IL-1β. In aged rats these neuroinflammatory changes are associated with a decreased ability of animals to sustain long-term potentiation (LTP in the dentate gyrus. Importantly, treatment of aged rats with agents which possess anti-inflammatory properties to decrease microglial activation, improves LTP. It is known that endocannabinoids, such as anandamide (AEA, have anti-inflammatory properties and therefore have the potential to decrease the age-related microglial activation. However, endocannabinoids are extremely labile and are hydrolyzed quickly after production. Here we investigated the possibility that inhibiting the degradation of endocannabinoids with the fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH inhibitor, URB597, could ameliorate age-related increases in microglial activation and the associated decrease in LTP. Methods Young and aged rats received subcutaneous injections of the FAAH inhibitor URB597 every second day and controls which received subcutaneous injections of 30% DMSO-saline every second day for 28 days. Long-term potentiation was recorded on day 28 and the animals were sacrificed. Brain tissue was analyzed for markers of microglial activation by PCR and for levels of endocannabinoids by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Results The data indicate that expression of markers of microglial activation, MHCII, and CD68 mRNA, were increased in the hippocampus of aged, compared with young, rats and that these changes were associated with increased expression of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα which were attenuated by treatment with URB597. Coupled with these changes, we

Endogenous neuromodulatory molecules are commonly coupled to specific metabolic enzymes to ensure rapid signal inactivation. Thus, acetylcholine is hydrolysed by acetylcholine esterase and tryptamine neurotransmitters like serotonin are degraded by monoamine oxidases. Previously, we reported the structure and sleep-inducing properties of cis-9-octadecenamide, a lipid isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of sleep-deprived cats. cis-9-Octadecenamide, or oleamide, has since been shown to affect serotonergic systems and block gap-junction communication in glial cells (our unpublished results). We also identified a membrane-bound enzyme activity that hydrolyses oleamide to its inactive acid, oleic acid. We now report the mechanism-based isolation, cloning and expression of this enzyme activity, originally named oleamide hydrolase, from rat liver plasma membranes. We also show that oleamide hydrolase converts anandamide, a fatty-acidamide identified as the endogenous ligand for the cannabinoid receptor, to arachidonic acid, indicating that oleamide hydrolase may serve as the general inactivating enzyme for a growing family of bioactive signalling molecules, the fatty-acidamides. Therefore we will hereafter refer to oleamide hydrolase as fatty-acidamidehydrolase, in recognition of the plurality of fatty-acidamides that the enzyme can accept as substrates.

Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a bifunctional enzyme that has a C-terminus epoxide hydrolase domain and an N-terminus phosphatase domain. The endogenous substrates of epoxide hydrolase are known to be epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, but the endogenous substrates of the phosphatase activity are not well understood. In this study, to explore the substrates of sEH, we investigated the inhibition of the phosphatase activity of sEH toward 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate by using lecithin and its hyd...

Extraction ability of various amides was studied. Data on extraction of rare earths, vanadium, molybdenum, rhenium, uranium, niobium, tantalum by N,N-dibutyl-amides of acetic, nonanic acids and fatly synthetic acids of C 7 -C 9 fractions are presented. Effect of salting-out agents, inorganic acid concentrations on extraction process was studied. Potential ability of using amides of carboxylic acids for extractional concentration of rare earths as well as for recovery and separation of iron, rhenium, vanadium, molybdenum, uranium, niobium, and tantalum was shown

To get insight in the biodegradation and potential read-across of fatty acidamides, N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] cocoamide and N-(1-ethylpiperazine) tall oil amide were used as model compounds. Two bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PK1 and Pseudomonas putida PK2 were isolated with N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] cocoamide and its hydrolysis product N,N-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine, respectively. In mixed culture, both strains accomplished complete mineralization of N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] cocoamide. Aeromonas hydrophila PK3 was enriched with N-(1-ethylpiperazine) tall oil amide and subsequently isolated using agar plates containing dodecanoate. N-(2-Aminoethyl)piperazine, the hydrolysis product of N-(1-ethylpiperazine) tall oil amide, was not degraded. The aerobic biodegradation pathway for primary and secondary fatty acidamides of P. aeruginosa and A. hydrophila involved initial hydrolysis of the amide bond producing ammonium, or amines, where the fatty acids formed were immediately metabolized. Complete mineralization of secondary fatty acidamides depended on the biodegradability of the released amine. Tertiary fatty acidamides were not transformed by P. aeruginosa or A. hydrophila. These strains were able to utilize all tested primary and secondary fatty acidamides independent of the amine structure and fatty acid. Read-across of previous reported ready biodegradability results of primary and secondary fatty acidamides is justified based on the broad substrate specificity and the initial hydrolytic attack of the two isolates PK1 and PK3.

Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a bifunctional enzyme that has a C-terminus epoxide hydrolase domain and an N-terminus phosphatase domain. The endogenous substrates of epoxide hydrolase are known to be epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, but the endogenous substrates of the phosphatase activity are not well understood. In this study, to explore the substrates of sEH, we investigated the inhibition of the phosphatase activity of sEH toward 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate by using lecithin and its hydrolyzed products. Although lecithin itself did not inhibit the phosphatase activity, the hydrolyzed lecithin significantly inhibited it, suggesting that lysophospholipid or fatty acid can inhibit it. Next, we investigated the inhibition of phosphatase activity by lysophosphatidyl choline, palmitoyl lysophosphatidic acid, monopalmitoyl glycerol, and palmitic acid. Palmitoyl lysophosphatidic acid and fatty acid efficiently inhibited phosphatase activity, suggesting that lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs) are substrates for the phosphatase activity of sEH. As expected, palmitoyl, stearoyl, oleoyl, and arachidonoyl LPAs were efficiently dephosphorylated by sEH (Km, 3–7 μM; Vmax, 150–193 nmol/min/mg). These results suggest that LPAs are substrates of sEH, which may regulate physiological functions of cells via their metabolism. PMID:22217705

A new method for synthesis of amides and hydroxamic acids from nitroarenes and aldehydes is described. The MnO2 catalyzed thermal deoxygenation of nitrobenzene resulted in formation of a reactive nitroso intermediate which on reaction with aldehydes provided amides and hydroxamic acids. The thermal neat reaction in the presence of 0.01 mmol KOH predominantly led to formation of hydroxamic acid whereas reaction in the presence of 1 mmol acetic acid produced amides as the only product.

To get insight in the biodegradation and potential read-across of fatty acidamides, N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] cocoamide and N-(1-ethylpiperazine) tall oil amide were used as model compounds. Two bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PK1 and Pseudomonas putida PK2 were isolated with

Freshwater green algae Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum growing in the Ural Mountains were examined for their fatty acidamides using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Eight fatty acidamides were identified by GC-MS. (Z)-9-octadecenamide was found to be the major component (2.26%).

The identification of two biologically active fatty acidamides, N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide) and oleamide, has generated a great deal of excitement and stimulated considerable research. However, anandamide and oleamide are merely the best-known and best-understood members of a much larger family of biologically-occurring fatty acidamides. In this review, we will outline which fatty acidamides have been isolated from mammalian sources, detail what is known about how these molecules are made and degraded in vivo, and highlight their potential for the development of novel therapeutics. PMID:18598910

This work reports the synthesis of new fatty acidamides from C16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 18:1 (OH), and 18:2 fatty acids families with cyclic and acyclic amines and demonstrate for the first time the activity of these compounds as antituberculosis agents against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H(37)Rv, M. tuberculosis rifampicin resistance (ATCC 35338), and M. tuberculosis isoniazid resistance (ATCC 35822). The fatty acidamides derivate from ricinoleic acid were the most potent one among a series of tested compounds, with a MIC 6.25 microg/mL for resistance strains. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Amidation is the fourth major category of post-translational modifications, which plays an important role in physiological and pathological processes. Identifying amidation sites can help us understanding the amidation and recognizing the original reason of many kinds of diseases. But the traditional experimental methods for predicting amidation sites are often time-consuming and expensive. In this study, we propose a computational method for predicting amidation sites by orchestrating amino acid sequence features. Three kinds of feature extraction methods are used to build a feature vector enabling to capture not only the physicochemical properties but also position related information of the amino acids. An extremely randomized trees algorithm is applied to choose the optimal features to remove redundancy and dependence among components of the feature vector by a supervised fashion. Finally the support vector machine classifier is used to label the amidation sites. When tested on an independent data set, it shows that the proposed method performs better than all the previous ones with the prediction accuracy of 0.962 at the Matthew's correlation coefficient of 0.89 and area under curve of 0.964.

Recent biochemical and pharmacological studies have led to the characterization of different fatty acidamides as a new family of biologically active lipids. Here, we describe the synthesis of new amides from C16:0, 18:0, 18:1 and 18:1, OH fatty acids (FFA) families with cyclic and acyclic amines and demonstrate for the first time that these compounds produce cytotoxic effects. Application of this method to the synthesis of fatty acidamides was performed using the esters aminolysis as a key step and various carboxylic amides were prepared in good yield from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). (author)

Amide carbonylation reaction is a method to compose N-acyl-{alpha}-amino acid from aldehyde, carboxylic acidamide, and carbon monoxide in a phase and with high yield. Unlike the conventional Strecker reaction, this method does not use HCN which is in question on public pollution and does not require hydrolysis. This amide carbonylation reaction was discovered by Wakamatsu and others of Ajinomoto Co.,Ltd. Present application examples of this method are the composition of N-acetyl amino acid from the aldehyde class, the composition of N-Acyl amino acid from olefin, the composition of N-acyl or acetyl amino acid from the raw material of alcohol and the halide class, the composition of N-acyl or acetyl amino acid via the isomerization of epoxide and allyl alcohol, the composition of amino dicarboxylic acid, applying deoxidation of ring acid anhydride, the composition of N-acyl amino acid from the raw material of the amine class, the stereoselective composition of -substitution ring-{alpha}-amino acid, and the composition of amino aldehyde. 24 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

A series of aromatic amides were synthesized from various acids and amines selected from naturally occurring structural frameworks. These synthetic amides were evaluated for umami taste in comparison with monosodium glutamate. The effect of the substitution pattern of both the acid and the amine parts on umami taste was investigated. The only intensely umami-tasting amides were those made from 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid. The amine part was more tolerant to structural changes. Amides bearing an alkyl- or alkoxy-substituted phenylethylamine residue displayed a clean umami taste as 20 ppm solutions in water. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with a high quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer (UPLC/MS) was subsequently used to show the natural occurrence of these amides. (E)-3-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(4-methoxyphenethyl)acrylamide was shown to occur in the roots and stems of Zanthoxylum piperitum, a plant of the family Rutaceae growing in Korea, Japan, and China.

We present an ab initio study of the acid hydrolysis of a highly twisted amide and a planar amide analogue. The aim of these studies is to investigate the effect that the twist of the amide bond has on the reaction barriers and mechanism of acid hydrolysis. Concerted and stepwise mechanisms were investigated using density functional theory and polarizable continuum model calculations. Remarkable differences were observed between the mechanism of twisted and planar amide, due mainly to the preference for N-protonation of the former and O-protonation of the latter. In addition, we were also able to determine that the hydrolytic mechanism of the twisted amide will be pH dependent. Thus, there is a preference for a stepwise mechanism with formation of an intermediate in the acid hydrolysis, whereas the neutral hydrolysis undergoes a concerted-type mechanism. There is a nice agreement between the characterized intermediate and available X-ray data and a good agreement with the kinetically estimated rate acceleration of hydrolysis with respect to analogous undistorted amide compounds. This work, along with previous ab initio calculations, describes a complex and rich chemistry for the hydrolysis of highly twisted amides as a function of pH. The theoretical data provided will allow for a better understanding of the available kinetic data of the rate acceleration of amides upon twisting and the relation of the observed rate acceleration with intrinsic differential reactivity upon loss of amide bond resonance.

In conclusion, we have developed a facile, alternative method for the formation of secondary and tertiary amides including morpholine amides from acid chlorides by using diisobutyl(amino)aluminum under mild reaction conditions. The advantages of the present method include the high product yields, simple experimental procedure, short reaction time (10 min), and the fact that an excess amount of amine is not required. This result suggests that our new method can provide an alternative method for the synthesis of useful amides from acid chlorides. Amides are valuable functional groups in biological, agrochemical, and pharmaceutical molecules. Several amides such as Weinreb amides, morpholine amides, and pyrrolidine amides are useful intermediates for the synthesis of aldehydes or ketones. Among them, morpholine amides are a cheap and good substitute for Weinreb amides.

In conclusion, we have developed a facile, alternative method for the formation of secondary and tertiary amides including morpholine amides from acid chlorides by using diisobutyl(amino)aluminum under mild reaction conditions. The advantages of the present method include the high product yields, simple experimental procedure, short reaction time (10 min), and the fact that an excess amount of amine is not required. This result suggests that our new method can provide an alternative method for the synthesis of useful amides from acid chlorides. Amides are valuable functional groups in biological, agrochemical, and pharmaceutical molecules. Several amides such as Weinreb amides, morpholine amides, and pyrrolidine amides are useful intermediates for the synthesis of aldehydes or ketones. Among them, morpholine amides are a cheap and good substitute for Weinreb amides

Transdermal transport is now becoming one of the most convenient and safe pathways for drug delivery. In some cases it is necessary to use skin penetration enhancers in order to allow for the transdermal transport of drugs that are otherwise insufficiently skin-permeable. A series of oleanolic acidamides as potential transdermal penetration enhancers was formed by multistep synthesis and the synthesis of all newly prepared compounds is presented. The synthetized amides of oleanolic acid were tested for their in vitro penetration promoter activity. The above activity was evaluated by means of using the Fürst method. The relationships between the chemical structure of the studied compounds and penetration activity are presented. PMID:26010090

Transdermal transport is now becoming one of the most convenient and safe pathways for drug delivery. In some cases it is necessary to use skin penetration enhancers in order to allow for the transdermal transport of drugs that are otherwise insufficiently skin-permeable. A series of oleanolic acidamides as potential transdermal penetration enhancers was formed by multistep synthesis and the synthesis of all newly prepared compounds is presented. The synthetized amides of oleanolic acid were tested for their in vitro penetration promoter activity. The above activity was evaluated by means of using the Fürst method. The relationships between the chemical structure of the studied compounds and penetration activity are presented.

For the first time, a general catalytic procedure for the cross coupling of primary amides and alkylboronic acids is demonstrated. The key to the success of this reaction was the identification of a mild base (NaOSiMe3) and oxidant (di-tert-butyl peroxide) to promote the copper-catalyzed reaction in high yield. This transformation provides a facile, high-yielding method for the mono-alkylation of amides. PMID:23611591

Ammonolysis of fatty acids to the corresponding fatty acidamides is efficiently catalysed by Candida antartica lipase (Novozym 435). In the present paper lipase-catalysed synthesis of erucamide by ammonolysis of erucic acid and urea in organic solvent medium was studied and optimal conditions for fatty amides synthesis were established. In this process erucic acid gave 88.74 % pure erucamide after 48 hour and 250 rpm at 60 degrees C with 1:4 molar ratio of erucic acid and urea, the organic solvent media is 50 ml tert-butyl alcohol (2-methyl-2-propanol). This process for synthesis is economical as we used urea in place of ammonia or other amidation reactant at atmospheric pressure. The amount of catalyst used is 3 %.

Novel biodegradable and low cytotoxic poly(ester amide)s (PEAs) based on α-amino acids and (L)-lactic acid (L-LA) oligomers were successfully synthesized by interfacial polymerization. The chemical structure of the new polymers was confirmed by spectroscopic analyses. Further characterization suggests that the α-amino acid plays a critical role on the final properties of the PEA. L-phenylalanine provides PEAs with higher glass transition temperature, whereas glycine enhances the crystallinity. The hydrolytic degradation in PBS (pH = 7.4) at 37 °C also depends on the α-amino acid, being faster for glycine-based PEAs. The cytotoxic profiles using fibroblast human cells indicate that the PEAs did not elicit an acute cytotoxic effect. The strategy presented in this work opens the possibility of synthesizing biodegradable PEAs with low citotoxicity by an easy and fast method. It is worth to mention also that the properties of these materials can be fine-tuned only by changing the α-amino acid.

New trans-AB2C meso-substituted porphyrin amino acid esters with meso-substituents of tunable electron withdrawing power (B = mesityl, 4-C6H4F, 4-C6H4CF3, C6F5) were prepared as free amines 3a-3d, as N-acetylated derivatives Ac-3a-Ac-3d and corresponding zinc(II) complexes Zn-Ac-3a-Zn-Ac-3d. Several amide-linked bis(porphyrins) with a tunable electron density at each porphyrin site were obtained from the amino porphyrin precursors by condensation reactions (4a-4d) and mono- and bis(zinc(II)) complexes Zn(2)-4d and Zn(1)Zn(2)-4d were prepared. The electronic interaction between individual porphyrin units in bis(porphyrins) 4 is probed by electrochemical experiments (CV, EPR), electronic absorption spectroscopy, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in combination with DFT/PCM calculations on diamagnetic neutral bis(porphyrins) 4 and on respective charged mixed-valent radicals 4(+/-). The interaction via the -C6H4-NHCO-C6H4- bridge, the site of oxidation and reduction and the lowest excited singlet state S1, is tuned by the substituents on the individual porphyrins and the metalation state.

The complex superficial lipid layer of the tear film functions to prevent evaporation and maintain tear stability. Although classes of lipids found in the tear film have been reported, individual lipid species are currently being studied with more sophisticated. The purpose of this work was to show the identification of fatty acids and the fatty acidamides in human meibomian gland secretions by using electrospray mass spectrometry. methods. Human meibomian gland secretions (meibum) were analyzed by electrospray quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (positive- and negative-ion mode). Accurate mass determination and collision-induced dissociation of meibum, and lipid standards were used to identify lipid species. Mass analysis of meibum in an acidic chloroform-methanol solution in positive-ion mode revealed a mass peak of m/z 282.3, which was identified as the protonated molecule of oleamide [C(18)H(35)NO+H](+). The high-resolution mass analysis of the m/z 282.2788 peak (oleamide) demonstrated a mass accuracy of 3.2 parts per million (ppm). Collision-induced dissociation of this species from meibum, compared with an oleamide standard, confirmed its identification. Myristic, palmitic, stearic, and oleic free fatty acids were identified in a similar manner, as were the other fatty acidamides (myristamide, palmitamide, stearamide, and erucamide). The findings indicate that oleamide (cis-9-octadecenamide), an endogenous fatty acid primary amide, is a predominant component of meibum when examined by electrospray mass spectrometry. The novel finding of oleamide and other members of the fatty acidamide family in the tear film could lead to additional insights into the role of fatty acidamide activity in human biological systems and may indicate a new function for this lipid class of molecules in ocular surface signaling and/or in the maintenance of the complex tear film.

Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a bifunctional enzyme that has a C-terminus epoxide hydrolase domain and an N-terminus phosphatase domain. The endogenous substrates of epoxide hydrolase are known to be epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, but the endogenous substrates of the phosphatase activity are not well understood. In this study, to explore the substrates of sEH, we investigated the inhibition of the phosphatase activity of sEH toward 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate by using lecithin and its hydrolyzed products. Although lecithin itself did not inhibit the phosphatase activity, the hydrolyzed lecithin significantly inhibited it, suggesting that lysophospholipid or fatty acid can inhibit it. Next, we investigated the inhibition of phosphatase activity by lysophosphatidyl choline, palmitoyl lysophosphatidic acid, monopalmitoyl glycerol, and palmitic acid. Palmitoyl lysophosphatidic acid and fatty acid efficiently inhibited phosphatase activity, suggesting that lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs) are substrates for the phosphatase activity of sEH. As expected, palmitoyl, stearoyl, oleoyl, and arachidonoyl LPAs were efficiently dephosphorylated by sEH (Km, 3-7 μM; Vmax, 150-193 nmol/min/mg). These results suggest that LPAs are substrates of sEH, which may regulate physiological functions of cells via their metabolism.

Cyanuric acidhydrolases are of industrial importance because of their use in aquatic recreational facilities to remove cyanuric acid, a stabilizer for the chlorine. Degradation of excess cyanuric acid is necessary to maintain chlorine disinfection in the waters. Cyanuric acidhydrolase opens the cyanuric acid ring hydrolytically and subsequent decarboxylation produces carbon dioxide and biuret. In the present study, we report the X-ray structure of TrzD, a cyanuric acidhydrolase from Acidovorax citrulli. The crystal structure at 2.19 Å resolution shows a large displacement of the catalytic lysine (Lys163) in domain 2 away from the active site core, whereas the two other active site lysines from the two other domains are not able to move. The lysine displacement is proposed here to open up a channel for product release. Consistent with that, the structure also showed two molecules of the co-product, carbon dioxide, one in the active site and another trapped in the proposed exit channel. Previous data indicated that the domain 2 lysine residue plays a role in activating an adjacent serine residue carrying out nucleophilic attack, opening the cyanuric acid ring, and the mobile lysine guides products through the exit channel.

Full Text Available Introduction: Peptidoglycan (PG is a major component of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria and is essential for maintaining the integrity of the bacterial cell and its shape. The bacteria synthesize PG hydrolases, which are capable of cleaving the covalent bonds of PG. They also play an important role in modeling PG, which is required for bacterial growth and division. In an era of increasing antibiotic-resistant pathogens, PG hydrolases that destroy these important structures of the cell wall act as a potential source of new antimicrobials. The aim of this study is to identify the main PG hydrolases of local lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional foods that enhance probiotic activity of a biological preparation. Methods. Lactococcus lactis 17А and Lactococcus garvieae 19А were isolated from the traditional sausage-like meat product called kazy. They were isolated according to standards methods of microbiology. Genetic identification of the isolates were tested by determining the nucleotide sequences of 16S rDNA. The Republican collection of microorganisms took strains of Lactobacillus casei subsp. Rhamnosus 13-P, L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis CG-1 B-RKM 0044 from cheese, Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei B-RKM 0202 from homemade butter. They used the standard technique of renaturating polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to detect PG hydrolases activity. Results. According to the profiles of PG hydrolase activity on zymograms, the enzymes of Lactococci 17A and 19A in kazy are similar in electrophoretic mobility to major autolysin AcmA, while the lactobacilli of industrial and home-made dairy products have enzymes similar to extracellular proteins p40 and p75, which have probiotic activity. Conclusions. Use of peptidoglycan hydrolases seems to be an interesting approach in the fight against multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria and could be a valuable tool for the treatment of diseases caused by these microorganisms in Kazakhstan.

A novel and versatile family of enzymatically and reductively degradable α-amino acid-based poly(ester amide)s (SS-PEAs) were developed from solution polycondensation of disulfide-containing di-p-toluenesulfonic acid salts of bis-l-phenylalanine diesters (SS-Phe-2TsOH) with di-p-nitrophenyl adipate

Synopsis A review is given of the manufacture, properties and applications of the anionic surfactants commonly known as taurates and isethionates (fatty acid sulphoalkyl amides and esters, respectively). Originally developed in the 1930s for textile processing, these surfactants are used increasingly in the cosmetic field, particularly those derived from coconut fatty acid. Both types are produced from sodium isethionate, HO degrees C(2)H(4)SO(3)Na. The acyl isethionate, R degrees COO degrees C(2)H(4)SO(3)Na, is obtained by reaction with a fatty acid ('direct process'). or fatty acid chloride ('indirect process'). The direct process is cheaper but requires extreme conditions which can lead to discoloration of the product and a loss of shorter chain fatty acid components. The N-methyl-N-acyltaurate, R degrees CON(R(1))C(2)H(4)SO(3)Na, is obtained by Schotten-Baumann reaction of a fatty acid chloride with N-methyltaurine, which is derived from sodium isethionate via methylamine. Taurates and isethionates retain the benefits of the soaps to which they are structurally similar, but chemical modifications have eliminated many undesirable features. Thus they combine good detergency and wetting with high foaming, and maintain their performance in hard or salt water. Taurates are stable to hydrolysis over the whole pH range. Isethionates are prone to hydrolysis at high (>8) or low (soap bars based on isethionate can be formulated at neutral pH ('Dove type'bars) instead of the alkaline pH of soap, and have been shown in various studies to be milder than soap and better tolerated by the young, the old and those with sensitive skins. Similarly, isethionates have been shown to be less irritating than other anionic or amphoteric surfactants used in cosmetics. The difference has been related to the negligible effect of isethionate on the water-binding capacity of stratum corneum. Other cosmetic applications besides toilet bars include shampoos (excellent cleaning, mild to scalp

Using proton-transfer reactions in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer and correlated molecular orbital theory at the G3(MP2) level, gas-phase acidities (GAs) and the associated structures for amides corresponding to the common amino acids have been determined for the first time. These values are important because amino acidamides are models for residues in peptides and proteins. For compounds whose most acidic site is the C-terminal amide nitrogen, two ions populations were observed experimentally with GAs that differ by 4-7 kcal/mol. The lower energy, more acidic structure accounts for the majority of the ions formed by electrospray ionization. G3(MP2) calculations predict that the lowest energy anionic conformer has a cis-like orientation of the [-C(═O)NH](-) group whereas the higher energy, less acidic conformer has a trans-like orientation of this group. These two distinct conformers were predicted for compounds with aliphatic, amide, basic, hydroxyl, and thioether side chains. For the most acidic amino acidamides (tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan, histidine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acidamides) only one conformer was observed experimentally, and its experimental GA correlates with the theoretical GA related to side chain deprotonation.

Chemical modification to improve biopharmaceutical properties, especially oral absorption and bioavailability, is a common strategy employed by pharmaceutical chemists. The approach often employs a simple structural modification and utilizes ubiquitous endogenous esterases as activation enzymes, although such enzymes are often unidentified. This report describes the crystal structure and specificity of a novel activating enzyme for valacyclovir and valganciclovir. Our structural insights show that human valacyclovirase has a unique binding mode and specificity for amino acid esters. Biochemical data demonstrate that the enzyme hydrolyzes esters of {alpha}-amino acids exclusively and displays a broad specificity spectrum for the aminoacyl moiety similar to tricorn-interacting aminopeptidase F1. Crystal structures of the enzyme, two mechanistic mutants, and a complex with a product analogue, when combined with biochemical analysis, reveal the key determinants for substrate recognition; that is, a flexible and mostly hydrophobic acyl pocket, a localized negative electrostatic potential, a large open leaving group-accommodating groove, and a pivotal acidic residue, Asp-123, after the nucleophile Ser-122. This is the first time that a residue immediately after the nucleophile has been found to have its side chain directed into the substrate binding pocket and play an essential role in substrate discrimination in serine hydrolases. These results as well as a phylogenetic analysis establish that the enzyme functions as a specific {alpha}-amino acid ester hydrolase. Valacyclovirase is a valuable target for amino acid ester prodrug-based oral drug delivery enhancement strategies.

We have developed a mild and convenient method for one-pot synthesis of Weinreb amides from carboxylic acids. The process is general for the preparation of Weinreb amides from a variety of carboxylic acids. The reaction was also applicable to the preparation of α-amino Weinreb amides and proceeded without deprotection of the N-Fmoc protecting group or racemization of the stereogenic centers. N-Methoxy-N-methyl amides, or Weinreb amides, have been widely used as versatile synthetic intermediates in organic syntheses. These amides serve as excellent acylating agents for organolithium or organomagnesium reagents and as robust aldehyde group equivalents. The utility of Weinreb amides has been extended to the preparation of N-protected amino aldehydes, useful intermediates for many chemoselective transformations in peptide chemistry

The kinetics of aquacobalamin reaction with aspartic and glutamic acids, and with their amides in water solutions, is studied via spectrophotometry. The kinetic and activation parameters of the process are determined. It is shown that the reaction product is cobalamin-amino acid complex. The data are compared to results on the reaction between aquacobalamin and primary amines.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (Panel) reviewed the product use, formulation, and safety data of 115 amino acid alkyl amides, which function as skin and hair conditioning agents and as surfactants-cleansing agents in personal care products. Safety test data on dermal irritation and sensitization for the ingredients with the highest use concentrations, lauroyl lysine and sodium lauroyl glutamate, were reviewed and determined to adequately support the safe use of the ingredients in this report. The Panel concluded that amino acid alkyl amides are safe in the present practices of use and concentration in cosmetics, when formulated to be nonirritating.

Di-amides have undergone significant studies as possible ligands for use in the partitioning of trivalent minor actinides and lanthanides. The binding affinities of three isomeric ligands with neodymium in acetonitrile solution have been investigated. The stability constants of the metal-ligand complexes formed between different isomers of N,N'-diethyl-N,N'- ditolyl-di-picolinamide (EtTDPA) and trivalent neodymium in acetonitrile have been determined by spectrophotometric and calorimetric methods. Each isomer of EtTDPA has been found to be capable of forming three complexes with trivalent neodymium, Nd(EtTDPA), Nd(EtTDPA){sub 2}, and Nd(EtTDPA){sub 3}. Values from spectrophotometric and calorimetric titrations are within reasonable agreement with each other. The order of stability constants for each metal:ligand complex decreases in the order Et(m)TDPA > Et(p)TDPA > Et(o)TDPA. The obtained values are comparable to other di-amidic ligands obtained under similar system conditions and mirror previously obtained solvent extraction data for EtTDPA at low ionic strengths. (authors.

The α-amino acid ester hydrolase (AEH) from Acetobacter turbidans is a bacterial enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis and synthesis of β-lactam antibiotics. The crystal structures of the native enzyme, both unliganded and in complex with the hydrolysis product D-phenylglycine are reported, as well as

Full Text Available linear aromatic and aliphatic polyester-amides (PEAs have been synthesized by polycondensation of aliphatic and aromatic aminoalcohol (Ethanol amine, 2-amino-2-methyl-propan-1-ol, m-amino phenol with Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA as a favorable and combined complexing compound was joined into the polymer backbone with poly addition reactions. These polymers were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, solubility studies , elemental analysis, , Thermal analyses such as TGA were measured, intrinsic viscosity. The poly(ester-amides obtained show good thermal stability.

Humic acid is a class of naturally occurring molecules composed of large sheet-like regions of cyclic aromatic hydrocarbon networks with surface and edge functional groups including phenols, carboxylic acids, and epoxides. These naturally occurring molecules are found in brown coal deposits near lignite formations. Humic acid has gained attention from the scientific community as a precursor for graphene. Graphene is a 2-dimensional honeycomb structure of fully unsaturated carbon atoms that has exceptional material properties and inherent aromaticity. Graphene's incredible properties are matched by the difficulty associated with reproducibly manufacturing it on a large scale. This issue has limited the use of graphene for commercial applications. The polar functional groups of humic acid contribute to the hydrophilic nature of the molecule, limiting its miscibility in any alkyl-based solvent. Surfactants containing long alkyl chains can affect the miscibility of the molecule in an organic solvent. Surfactants are often difficult to remove from the system. It is theorized that alkylation of the functional sites of humic acid can affect the hydrophilic nature of the molecule, and effectively enable its dispersion into organic solvents without simultaneous incorporation of surfactants. This dissertation investigated the amidation and esterification of humic acid molecules extracted from leonardite. The resulting change in the modified humic acid dispersibility in organic solvents and its potential usage as a fuel additive were evaluated. Butyl, hexyl, octyl, and decyl amide-modified and ester-modified humic acids were synthesized. These products were characterized to confirm successful chemical reaction through thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The decyl-modified humic acids remained suspended in kerosene mixtures for longer than 1 week. Other organo-humic acids showed varying degrees of flocculation

The synthesis of two novel (+)-isocampholenic acid-derived amines has been realized starting from commercially available (1S)-(+)-10-camphorsulfonic acid. The novel amines as well as (+)-isocampholenic acid have been used as building blocks in the construction of a library of amides using various aliphatic, aromatic, and amino acid-derived coupling partners using BPC and CDI as activating agents. Amide derivatives have been assayed against several enzymes that hold potential for the development of new drugs to battle bacterial infections and Alzheimer's disease. Compounds 20c and 20e showed promising selective sub-micromolar inhibition of human butyrylcholinesterase [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] values [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively).

Michael addition is a premier synthetic method for carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond formation. Using chiral dilithium amides as traceless auxiliaries, we report the direct enantioselective Michael addition of carboxylic acids. A free carboxyl group in the product provides versatility for further functionalization, and the chiral reagent can be readily recovered by extraction with aqueous acid. The method has been applied in the enantioselective total synthesis of the purported structure of pulveraven B.

Michael addition is a premier synthetic method for carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bond formation. Using chiral dilithium amides as traceless auxiliaries, we report the direct enantioselective Michael addition of carboxylic acids. A free carboxyl group in the product provides versatility for further functionalization, and the chiral reagent can be readily recovered by extraction with aqueous acid. The method has been applied in the enantioselective total synthesis of the purported structure of pulveraven B. PMID:25562717

Poly(alkylene dicarboxylate)s constitute a family of biodegradable polymers with increasing interest for both commodity and speciality applications. Most of these polymers can be prepared from biobased diols and dicarboxylic acids such as 1,4-butanediol, succinic acid and carbohydrates. This review provides a current status report concerning synthesis, biodegradation and applications of a series of polymers that cover a wide range of properties, namely, materials from elastomeric to rigid characteristics that are suitable for applications such as hydrogels, soft tissue engineering, drug delivery systems and liquid crystals. Finally, the incorporation of aromatic units and α-amino acids is considered since stiffness of molecular chains and intermolecular interactions can be drastically changed. In fact, poly(ester amide)s derived from naturally occurring amino acids offer great possibilities as biodegradable materials for biomedical applications which are also extensively discussed.

Full Text Available Condensation of 6-chloro-, 5-tert-butyl- or 6-chloro-5-tert-butylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid chloride with ring substituted anilines yielded a series of amides, which were tested for their in vitro antimycobacterial, antifungal and photosynthesis-inhibiting activities. The highest antituberculotic activity (72% inhibition against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the highest lipophilicity (log P = 6.85 were shown by the 3,5-bistrifluoromethylphenyl amide of 5-tert-butyl-6-chloropyrazine-2-carboxylic acid (2o. The 3-methylphenyl amides of 6-chloro- and 5-tert-butyl-6-chloro-pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid (2d and 2f exhibited only a poor in vitro antifungal effect (MIC = 31.25-500 ÃŽÂ¼molÃ‚Â·dm-3 against all strains tested, although the latter was the most active antialgal compound (IC50 = 0.063 mmolÃ‚Â·dm-3. The most active inhibitor of oxygen evolution rate in spinach chloroplasts was the (3,5-bis-trifluoromethylphenylamide of 6-chloropyrazine-2-carboxylic acid (2m, IC50 = 0.026 mmolÃ‚Â·dm-3.

The rate-determining step of acid catalyzed peptide hydrolysis is the nucleophilic attack of a water molecule to the carbon atom of the amide group. Therein the addition of the hydroxyl group to the amide carbon atom involves the association of a water molecule transferring one of its protons to an adjacent water molecule. The protonation of the amide nitrogen atom follows as a separate reaction step. Since the nucleophilic attack involves the breaking and formation of several bonds, the underlying reaction coordinate is rather complex. We investigate this reaction step from path sampling Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations. This approach does not require the predefinition of reaction coordinates and is thus particularly suited for investigating reaction mechanisms. From our simulations the most relevant components of the reaction coordinate are elaborated. Though the C···O distance of the oxygen atom of the water molecule performing the nucleophilic attack and the corresponding amide carbon atom is a descriptor of the reaction progress, a complete picture of the reaction coordinate must include all three molecules taking part in the reaction. Moreover, the proton transfer is found to depend on favorable solvent configurations. Thus, also the arrangement of non-reacting, i.e. solvent water molecules needs to be considered in the reaction coordinate

Full Text Available Porous asphalt mixes (PAM, form a special road surface for asphalt pavement structures, have a special particle size distribution that lets infiltrate to the runoff storm water through of it because of its voids content about 20 %. Many researchers conducted studies and have concluded that the use of modified asphalts is completely necessary to design PAM. Organic and chemical additives and special procedures as foamed asphalt have enhanced the performance of PAM, during their service life. This paper is focused on the mechanical characterization of PAM and how the asphalt modified with fatty acidamides, influenced on their behavior and performance. Based on an experimental methodology with laboratory tests aimed at establishing a comparison between porous asphalt mixes, using for its design and production a penetration 60-70 pure asphalt and another one asphalt modified with fatty acidamides.

A series of caffeic acidamides were designed, synthesized, and their synergistic activity with fluconazole against fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans was evaluated in vitro. The title caffeic acidamides 3-30 except 26 exhibited potent activity, and the subsequent SAR study was conducted. Compound 3, 5, 21, and 34c, at a concentration of 1.0 μg/ml, decreased the MIC₈₀ of fluconazole from 128.0 μg/ml to 1.0-0.5 μg/ml against the fluconazole-resistant C. albicans. This result suggests that the caffeic acidamides, as synergists, can sensitize drug-resistant fungi to fluconazole. The SAR study indicated that the dihydroxyl groups and the amido groups linking to phenyl or heterocyclic rings are the important pharmacophores of the caffeic acidamides.

NAD and its reduced form NADH function as essential redox cofactors and have major roles in determining cellular metabolic features. NAD can be synthesized through the deamidated and amidated pathways, for which the key reaction involves adenylylation of nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), respectively. In Escherichia coli , NAD de novo biosynthesis depends on the protein NadD-catalyzed adenylylation of NaMN to nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide (NaAD), followed by NAD synthase-catalyzed amidation. In this study, we engineered NadD to favor NMN for improved amidated pathway activity. We designed NadD mutant libraries, screened by a malic enzyme-coupled colorimetric assay, and identified two variants, 11B4 (Y84V/Y118D) and 16D8 (A86W/Y118N), with a high preference for NMN. Whereas in the presence of NMN both variants were capable of enabling the viability of cells of E. coli BW25113-derived NAD-auxotrophic strain YJE003, for which the last step of the deamidated pathway is blocked, the 16D8 expression strain could grow without exogenous NMN and accumulated a higher cellular NAD(H) level than BW25113 in the stationary phase. These mutants established fully active amidated NAD biosynthesis and offered a new opportunity to manipulate NAD metabolism for biocatalysis and metabolic engineering. IMPORTANCE Adenylylation of nicotinic acid mononucleotide (NaMN) and adenylylation of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), respectively, are the key steps in the deamidated and amidated pathways for NAD biosynthesis. In most organisms, canonical NAD biosynthesis follows the deamidated pathway. Here we engineered Escherichia coli NaMN adenylyltransferase to favor NMN and expressed the mutant enzyme in an NAD-auxotrophic E. coli strain that has the last step of the deamidated pathway blocked. The engineered strain survived in M9 medium, which indicated the implementation of a functional amidated pathway for NAD biosynthesis. These results enrich

A series of nineteen N-alkyl carboxylic acidamides (R.CO.NHR') has been prepared, in which the alkyl groups R and R' have been varied in order to introduce different degrees of steric complexity into the compounds. A smaller number of N,N-dialkyl amides (R.CO.NR 2 ') and non-substituted amides (R.CO.NH 2 ) has also been prepared for comparison purposes. These amides were characterized by measurement of their boiling points, melting points, refractive indices and densities. The solvent extraction of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) from sodium nitrate media by solutions of the amides in toluene was studied. Increasing steric bulk of the alkyl groups R and R' was found to cause a marked decrease in the extraction of thorium, with a much smaller effect on the extraction of uranium, thus considerably enhancing the separation between these metals. Vapour pressure osmometry studies indicate that the N-alkyl amides are self-associated in toluene solution, with aggregation numbers up to about 2.5 for 0.6 M solutions at 35 degree C. In contrast, the N,N-dialkyl amides behave as monomers under these conditions. The distribution ratios for the extraction of uranium and thorium show second- and third-order dependences, respectively, on the extractant concentration for both the N-alkyl and N,N-dialkyl amides. 15 refs., 8 figs., 8 tabs

Each of 10 C/sup 14/-labelled amino acids or amides was introduced into young soybean plants through the cut petiole of one primary leaf. The compounds used were asparagine, glutamine, urea, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, serine, alanine, norleucine, and arginine. The rates of uptake of all the solutions except arginine were in the range 1.0 to 1.5 ..mu..l per minute. After 1 to 5 minutes, the distribution of C/sup 14/ throughout the plants was determined. Each amino acid was translocated as such without conversion to other compounds. From the point of introduction, translocation of each amino acid or amide was mainly downward toward the root; very little was translocated upward. The amount of asparagine or glutamine that was translocated into the primary leaf opposite the cut petiole increased as the leaf aged, while the amount of the other eight compounds decreased as the leaf aged. When asparagine and serine were administered together, serine moved into the young primary leaf while asparagine was excluded. Both excision of the roots and chilling the roots decreased the velocity of downward translocation of aspartic acid indicating that the roots exert a strong demand which favors translocation in a downward direction more than an upward direction in the stem. 17 references, 1 figure, 5 tables.

Chlorogenic acid is a well known natural product with important bioactivities. It contains an ester bond formed between the COOH of caffeic acid and the 3-OH of quinic acid. We synthesized a chlorogenic acid analogue, 3α-caffeoylquinic acidamide, using caffeic and quinic acids as starting materials. The caffeoylquinc acidamide was found to be much more stable than chlorogenic acid and showed anti-Hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) activity with a potency similar to chlorogenic acid. The caffeoylquinc acidamide potently protected HepG2 cells against oxidative stress induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide.

Full Text Available In the present work few novel 2-(4-methylbenzenesulphonamidopentanedioic acidamide derivatives and the basic compound 2-(4-methylphenylsulfon-amidopentanedioic acid have been designed, synthesized, characterized and screened for their possible antineoplastic activity both in vitro and in vivo. The modified drugs were docked against the protein histone deacetylase the energy value obtained was o-iodoanilide (-10.370504 and m-iodoanilide (-10.218276 of the titled compound. The in vitro activity was performed against five human cell lines like human breast cancer (MCF-7, leukemia (K-562, ova-rian cancer (OVACAR-3, human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29 and Human kidney carcinoma (A-498. The in vivo activity was performed in female Swiss albino mice against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC. Among the synthesized compounds, o-iodoanilide, m-iodoanilide and p-iodoanilide derivatives of 2-(4-methyl benzene sulphonyl-pentanedioic acidamides showed encouraging activity in both the in vitro and in vivo compared to other compounds.

Compromised dopamine signaling in the striatum has been associated with the expression of impulsive behaviors in addiction, obesity and alcoholism. In rodents, Intragastric infusion of the fatty acidamide oleoylethanolamide increases striatal extracellular dopamine levels via vagal afferent signaling. Here we tested whether supplementation with PhosphoLean™, a dietary supplement that contains the precursor of the fatty acidamide oleoylethanolamide (N-oleyl-phosphatidylethanolamine), would reduce impulsive responding and alcohol use in heavy drinking young adults. Twenty-two individuals were assigned to a three-week supplementation regimen with PhosphoLean™ or placebo. Impulsivity was assessed with self-report questionnaires and behavioral tasks pre- and post-supplementation. Although self-report measures of impulsivity did not change, supplementation with PhosphoLean™, but not placebo, significantly reduced false alarm rate on a Go/No-Go task. In addition, an association was found between improved sensitivity on the Go/No-Go task and reduced alcohol intake. These findings provide preliminary evidence that promoting fatty acid derived gut-brain dopamine communication may have therapeutic potential for reducing impulsivity in heavy drinkers. PMID:26656766

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) expose aquatic organisms to multiple physical and chemical stressors during an acute time period. Algal toxins themselves may be altered by water chemistry parameters affecting their bioavailability and resultant toxicity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two abiotic parameters (pH, inorganic metal salts) on the toxicity of fatty acidamides and fatty acids, two classes of lipids produced by harmful algae, including the golden alga, Prymnesium parvum, that are toxic to aquatic organisms. Rainbow trout gill cells were used as a model of the fish gill and exposed to single compounds and mixtures of compounds along with variations in pH level and concentration of inorganic metal salts. We employed artificial neural networks (ANNs) and standard ANOVA statistical analysis to examine and predict the effects of these abiotic parameters on the toxicity of fatty acidamides and fatty acids. Our results demonstrate that increasing pH levels increases the toxicity of fatty acidamides and inhibits the toxicity of fatty acids. This phenomenon is reversed at lower pH levels. Exposing gill cells to complex mixtures of chemical factors resulted in dramatic increases in toxicity compared to tests of single compounds for both the fatty acidamides and fatty acids. These findings highlight the potential of physicochemical factors to affect the toxicity of chemicals released during algal blooms and demonstrate drastic differences in the effect of pH on fatty acidamides and fatty acids. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Covering up to February 2017The pericarps of several species from the Zanthoxylum genus, a.k.a. the "prickly ash", have long been used for culinary purposes throughout Asia, most notably in the Sichuan (previously Szechuan) cuisine of Southwestern China, due to the unique tingling and numbing orosensations arising from a collection of polyunsaturated fatty acidamide (alkamide) constituents. The past decade has experienced dramatically increased academic and industrial interest in these pungent Zanthoxylum-derived alkamides, with a concomitant explosion in studies aimed at elucidating the specific biochemical mechanisms behind several medically-relevant biological activities exhibited by the natural products. This rapid increase in interest is partially fueled by advances in organic synthesis reported within the past few years that finally have allowed for the production of diastereomerically-pure Zanthoxylum alkamides and related analogs in multigram quantities. Herein is a comprehensive review of the discovery, total synthesis, and biological evaluation of Zanthoxylum-derived polyunsaturated fatty acidamides and synthetic analogues. Critical insights into how chemical synthesis can further benefit future chemical biology efforts in the field are also provided.

A distinguished class of hydrophobic ionic liquids bearing a Brφnsted acidic character derived from amide-like compounds were prepared by a neutralization reaction of N,N-diethylformamide, N,N-dibutylformamide, 1-formylpiperidine, and ε-caprolactam with trifluoroacetic acid and physical absorptions of CO 2 in these ionic liquids were demonstrated and evaluated. CO 2 solubilities in these ionic liquids were influenced by the molecular structure of the cation and were apparently increased with the molar volume. Comparison based on a volume unit reveals that CO 2 solubilities in these liquids are relatively higher than those in imidazolium-based ionic liquids. Henry's coefficients calculated from low-pressure solubility tests at 313 to 333 K were used to derive the thermodynamics quantities. Enthalpy and entropy of solvation may share equal contributions in solubility

There has been significant interest in recent years in the studies of alkyl-substituted amides as extractants for actinide separation because the products of radiolytic and hydrolytic degradation of amides are less detrimental to separation processes than those of organophosphorus compounds traditionally used in actinide separations. Stripping of actinides from the amide-containing organic solvents is relatively easy. In addition, the amide ligands are completely incinerable so that the amount of secondary wastes generated in nuclear waste treatment could be significantly reduced. One group of alkyl-substituted oxa-diamides have been shown to be promising in the separation of actinides from nuclear wastes. For example, tetraoctyl-3-oxa-glutaramide and tetraisobutyl-oxa-glutaramide form actinide complexes that can be effectively extracted from nitric acid solutions. To understand the thermodynamic principles governing the complexation of actinides with oxa-diamides, we have studied the complexation of U(VI) with dimethyl-3-oxa-glutaramic acid (DMOGA) and tetramethyl-3-oxa-glutaramide (TMOGA) in aqueous solutions, in comparison with oxydiacetic acid (ODA) (Figure 1). Previous studies have indicated that the complexation of U(VI) with ODA is strong and entropy-driven. Comparing the results for DMOGA and TMOGA with those for ODA could provide insight into the energetics of amide complexation with U(VI) and the relationship between the thermodynamic properties and the ligand structure

Enzymatic activity of five lysosomal hydrolases: acid p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2), acid β-glycerophosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2), arylsulphatase (EC 3.1.6.1), β-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) and β-N-acetylhexoaminidase (EC 3.2.1.30) was studied in the supernatants of homogenates of hearts of unirradiated mice, serving as controls, and a group of UV-irradiated mice. In the control group, determinations made at 6-hr intervals showed rhythmic diurnal changes in activities of three acidhydrolases. These changes were statistically significant in the case of acid p-nitrophenyl phosphatase, acid β-glycerophosphatase, and β-N-acetylhexosaminidase. The effect of UV-irradiation was manifested mainly by depression of enzyme activities of the acidhydrolases during the first few hours after exposure. Depression of activities of arylsulphatase and β-N-acetylhexosaminidase by UV light was statistically significant. Presumably, the fall in enzyme activities of the acidhydrolases was due to chemical mediators formed in the skin under the influence of UV-radiation and adrenal corticoids secreted into the blood

A novel and versatile family of enzymatically and reductively degradable α-amino acid-based poly(ester amide)s (SS-PEAs) were developed from solution polycondensation of disulfide-containing di-p-toluenesulfonic acid salts of bis-l-phenylalanine diesters (SS-Phe-2TsOH) with di-p-nitrophenyl adipate (NA) in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). SS-PEAs with Mn ranging from 16.6 to 23.6 kg/mol were obtained, depending on NA/SS-Phe-2TsOH molar ratios. The chemical structures of SS-PEAs were confirmed by (1)H NMR and FTIR spectra. Thermal analyses showed that the obtained SS-PEAs were amorphous with a glass transition temperature (Tg) in the range of 35.2-39.5 °C. The in vitro degradation studies of SS-PEA films revealed that SS-PEAs underwent surface erosion in the presence of 0.1 mg/mL α-chymotrypsin and bulk degradation under a reductive environment containing 10 mM dithiothreitol (DTT). The preliminary cell culture studies displayed that SS-PEA films could well support adhesion and proliferation of L929 fibroblast cells, indicating that SS-PEAs have excellent cell compatibility. The nanoparticles prepared from SS-PEA with PVA as a surfactant had an average size of 167 nm in phosphate buffer (PB, 10 mM, pH 7.4). SS-PEA nanoparticles while stable under physiological environment undergo rapid disintegration under an enzymatic or reductive condition. The in vitro drug release studies showed that DOX release was accelerated in the presence of 0.1 mg/mL α-chymotrypsin or 10 mM DTT. Confocal microscopy observation displayed that SS-PEA nanoparticles effectively transported DOX into both drug-sensitive and -resistant MCF-7 cells. MTT assays revealed that DOX-loaded SS-PEA nanoparticles had a high antitumor activity approaching that of free DOX in drug-sensitive MCF-7 cells, while more than 10 times higher than free DOX in drug-resistant MCF-7/ADR cells. These enzymatically and reductively degradable α-amino acid-based poly(ester amide)s have provided an appealing platform for

Full Text Available Both the enantiomers of 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxylic acid are valuable chiral synthons for enantiospecific synthesis of therapeutic agents such as (S-doxazosin mesylate, WB 4101, MKC 242, 2,3-dihydro-2-hydroxymethyl-1,4-benzodioxin, and N-[2,4-oxo-1,3-thiazolidin-3-yl]-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxamide. Pharmaceutical applications require these enantiomers in optically pure form. However, currently available methods suffer from one drawback or other, such as low efficiency, uncommon and not so easily accessible chiral resolving agent and less than optimal enantiomeric purity. Our interest in finding a biocatalyst for efficient production of enantiomerically pure 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxylic acid lead us to discover an amidase activity from Alcaligenes faecalis subsp. parafaecalis, which was able to kinetically resolve 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxyamide with E value of >200. Thus, at about 50% conversion, (R-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxylic acid was produced in >99% e.e. The remaining amide had (S-configuration and 99% e.e. The amide and acid were easily separated by aqueous (alkaline-organic two phase extraction method. The same amidase was able to catalyse, albeit at much lower rate the hydrolysis of (S-amide to (S-acid without loss of e.e. The amidase activity was identified as indole-3-acetamide hydrolase (IaaH. IaaH is known to catalyse conversion of indole-3-acetamide (IAM to indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, which is phytohormone of auxin class and is widespread among plants and bacteria that inhabit plant rhizosphere. IaaH exhibited high activity for 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxamide, which was about 65% compared to its natural substrate, indole-3-acetamide. The natural substrate for IaaH indole-3-acetamide shared, at least in part a similar bicyclic structure with 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxamide, which may account for high activity of enzyme towards this un-natural substrate. To

Both the enantiomers of 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxylic acid are valuable chiral synthons for enantiospecific synthesis of therapeutic agents such as (S)-doxazosin mesylate, WB 4101, MKC 242, 2,3-dihydro-2-hydroxymethyl-1,4-benzodioxin, and N-[2,4-oxo-1,3-thiazolidin-3-yl]-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxamide. Pharmaceutical applications require these enantiomers in optically pure form. However, currently available methods suffer from one drawback or other, such as low efficiency, uncommon and not so easily accessible chiral resolving agent and less than optimal enantiomeric purity. Our interest in finding a biocatalyst for efficient production of enantiomerically pure 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxylic acid lead us to discover an amidase activity from Alcaligenes faecalis subsp. parafaecalis, which was able to kinetically resolve 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxyamide with E value of >200. Thus, at about 50% conversion, (R)-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxylic acid was produced in >99% e.e. The remaining amide had (S)-configuration and 99% e.e. The amide and acid were easily separated by aqueous (alkaline)-organic two phase extraction method. The same amidase was able to catalyse, albeit at much lower rate the hydrolysis of (S)-amide to (S)-acid without loss of e.e. The amidase activity was identified as indole-3-acetamide hydrolase (IaaH). IaaH is known to catalyse conversion of indole-3-acetamide (IAM) to indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which is phytohormone of auxin class and is widespread among plants and bacteria that inhabit plant rhizosphere. IaaH exhibited high activity for 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxamide, which was about 65% compared to its natural substrate, indole-3-acetamide. The natural substrate for IaaH indole-3-acetamide shared, at least in part a similar bicyclic structure with 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxamide, which may account for high activity of enzyme towards this un-natural substrate. To the best of

In 1976, fluorine in human blood serum was thought to be present as perfluorooctanic acid; however, in the 1990s it was correctly identified by LC/MS as perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS). PFOS was both a commercial product and an end-stage metabolite of numerous substituted amides ...

We successfully engineered a new enzyme that catalyzes the formation of D-Ala amide (D-AlaNH 2 ) from D-Ala by modifying ATP-dependent D-Ala:D-Ala ligase (EC 6.3.2.4) from Thermus thermophilus, which catalyzes the formation of D-Ala-D-Ala from two molecules of D-Ala. The new enzyme was created by the replacement of the Ser293 residue with acidic amino acids, as it was speculated to bind to the second D-Ala of D-Ala-D-Ala. In addition, a replacement of the position with Glu performed better than that with Asp with regards to specificity for D-AlaNH 2 production. The S293E variant, which was selected as the best enzyme for D-AlaNH 2 production, exhibited an optimal activity at pH 9.0 and 40 °C for D-AlaNH 2 production. The apparent K m values of this variant for D-Ala and NH 3 were 7.35 mM and 1.58 M, respectively. The S293E variant could catalyze the synthesis of 9.3 and 35.7 mM of D-AlaNH 2 from 10 and 50 mM D-Ala and 3 M NH 4 Cl with conversion yields of 93 and 71.4 %, respectively. This is the first report showing the enzymatic formation of amino acidamides from amino acids.

The effect of ascorbic acid depletion on the amidation of alphamelanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha MSH) was studied in vivo in guinea pig pituitary. After four weeks, the concentration of ascorbic acid was 1.20 +/- 0.11 mumol/g tissue (mean +/- SD) in the pituitary and 0.34 +/- 0.07 mumol......-39) immunoreactivity was observed in the depleted guinea pigs. Gel chromatography and reversed-phase high-performance luquid chromatography showed that the alpha MSH and ACTH (1-14) immunoreactivity was of low molecular weight and partly mono- or diacetylated. Depletion of ascorbic acid had no influence on the degree...... of acetylation of alpha MSH and ACTH (1-14). It is concluded that depletion of ascorbic acid reduces the in vivo amidation of ACTH (1-14) in the guinea pig pituitary....

The development of resistance to virtually all current antibiotics makes the discovery of new antimicrobial compounds with novel protein targets an urgent challenge. The dapE-encoded N-succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelic acid desuccinylase (DapE) is an essential metallo-enzyme for growth and proliferation in many bacteria, acting in the desuccinylation of N-succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelic acid (SDAP) in a late stage of the anabolic pathway towards both lysine and a crucial building block of the peptidoglycan cell wall. L-Captopril, which has been shown to exhibit very promising inhibitory activity in vitro against DapE and has attractive drug-like properties, nevertheless does not target DapE in bacteria effectively. Here we show that L-captopril targets only the Zn(2+)-metallo-isoform of the enzyme, whereas the Mn(2+)-enzyme, which is also a physiologically relevant isoform in bacteria, is not inhibited. Our finding provides a rationale for the failure of this promising lead-compound to exhibit any significant antibiotic activity in bacteria and underlines the importance of addressing metallo-isoform heterogeneity in future drug design. Moreover, to our knowledge, this is the first example of metallo-isoform heterogeneity in vivo that provides an evolutionary advantage to bacteria upon drug-challenge.

Bioactivity of a compound is closely related to the molecular structure of the compound concerned, its strength being the quantitative relation of the strength of the activity of the group it possesses. The combining of moieties of the active compounds will produce more active compounds. Most phenolic compounds as well as compounds containing moiety phenethyl groups have potential activity as anticancer. Combining phenolic groups and phenethyl groups in a compound will result in compounds having strong anticancer bioactivity. This study aims to combine the feruloyl and phenethyl groups to form esters and amides by synthesize of phenethyl trans-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acrylate (5) and trans-3-(4- hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-N-phenethylacrylamide (6) from ferulic acid with phenethyl alcohol and phenethylamine, and to study their bioactivity as anticancer. The synthesis of both compounds was conducted via indirect reaction, including acetylation, chlorination, esterfication/amidation, and deacetylation. Structures of products were characterized by FTIR and NMR data, and their bioactivity assay of the compounds against P388 Leukemia Murine Cells was conducted by an MTT method. Results showed that the compound 5 was obtained as a yellow gel with the IC50 of 10.79 μg/mL (36.21 μΜ), and the compound 6 was a yellowish solid with a melting point of 118-120°C and the IC50 of 29.14 μg/mL (97.79 μΜ). These compounds were more active than the analog compounds.

A short, versatile, an efficient asymmetric synthesis of substituted aromatic amides is described. L-Tartaric acid conveniently converted into diacetyl-L-tartaric anhydride. Diacetyl-L-tartaric anhydride was then transformed into half ester which was then reacted with substituted anilines to yield respective chiral amides 3-8. These chiral amides were characterized by spectroscopic techniques i.e. 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, IR and mass spectrometry. Amides 3-8 were tested for their antimicrobial as well as phytotoxic activities. (author)

With the advent of high-yield cell-free expressions systems, many researchers are exploiting selective isotope labelling of amino acids to increase the efficiency and accuracy of the NMR assignment process. We developed recently a combinatorial selective labelling (CSL) method capable of yielding large numbers of residue-type and sequence-specific backbone amide assignments, which involves comparing cross-peak intensities in {sup 1}H-{sup 15}N HSQC and 2D {sup 1}H-{sup 15}N HNCO spectra collected for five samples containing different combinations of {sup 13}C- and {sup 15}N-labelled amino acids [Parker MJ, Aulton-Jones M, Hounslow A, Craven C J (2004) J Am Chem Soc 126:5020-5021]. In this paper we develop a robust method for establishing the reliability of these assignments. We have performed a detailed statistical analysis of the CSL data collected for a model system (the B1 domain of protein G from Streptococcus), developing a scoring method which allows the confidence in assignments to be assessed, and which enables the effects of overlap on assignment fidelity to be predicted. To further test the scoring method and also to assess the performance of CSL in relation to sample quality, we have applied the method to the CSL data collected for GFP in our previous study.

Helical structures of oligomers of non-natural β-amino acids are significantly stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonding between main-chain amide moieties in many cases, but the structures are generally susceptible to the environment; that is, helices may unfold in protic solvents such as water. For the generation of non-hydrogen-bonded ordered structures of amides (tertiary amides in most cases), control of cis-trans isomerization is crucial, even though there is only a small sterical difference with respect to cis and trans orientations. We have established methods for synthesis of conformationally constrained β-proline mimics, that is, bridgehead-substituted 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-endo-carboxylic acids. Our crystallographic, 1D- and 2D-NMR, and CD spectroscopic studies in solution revealed that a bridgehead methoxymethyl substituent completely biased the cis-trans equilibrium to the cis-amide structure along the main chain, and helical structures based on the cis-amide linkage were generated independently of the number of residues, from the minimalist dimer through the tetramer, hexamer, and up to the octamer, and irrespective of the solvent (e.g., water, alcohol, halogenated solvents, and cyclohexane). Generality of the control of the amide equilibrium by bridgehead substitution was also examined.

Full Text Available The glutamic acid residues of the peptidoglycan of Staphylococcus aureus and many other bacteria become amidated by an as yet unknown mechanism. In this communication we describe the identification, in the genome of S. aureus strain COL, of two co-transcribed genes, murT and gatD, which are responsible for peptidoglycan amidation. MurT and GatD have sequence similarity to substrate-binding domains in Mur ligases (MurT and to the catalytic domain in CobB/CobQ-like glutamine amidotransferases (GatD. The amidation of glutamate residues in the stem peptide of S. aureus peptidoglycan takes place in a later step than the cytoplasmic phase--presumably the lipid phase--of the biosynthesis of the S. aureus cell wall precursor. Inhibition of amidation caused reduced growth rate, reduced resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and increased sensitivity to lysozyme which inhibited culture growth and caused degradation of the peptidoglycan.

The purpose of this research was to investigate further the relationship between amide-conjugated auxin and adventitious root formation. Indoleacetylaspartic acid (IAA-aspartate) was positively identified as the predominant conjugate isolated from mung bean cuttings after the cuttings has been treated with 10 -3 M IAA. In cuttings treated with [1- 14 C]IAA immediately after excision (0 hr), the percent of extractable 14 C in IAA-aspartate in the hypocotyl sharply increased until 36 hr, then steadily declined. [ 14 C]IAA was completely metabolized between 12 and 24 hr. The rooting activities of IAA-L-aspartate, IAA-L-alanine, and IAA-glycine were determined at various stages of root formation; some cuttings were pretreated with 10 -3 M IAA at 0 hr. Pretreated cuttings that were treated with IAA-glycine at 12, 24, 36 hr exhibited the greatest consistency between replications, the greatest number of long roots, and the longest roots. The conjugates did not stimulate rooting as effectively as IAA, yet like IAA, generally enhanced rooting the greatest when applied before the first cell division (24 hr)

Yakushinamides A (1) and B (2), prolyl amides of polyoxygenated fatty acids, have been isolated from the marine sponge Theonella swinhoei as inhibitors of HDACs and SIRTs. Their planar structures were determined by interpretation of the NMR data of the intact molecules and tandem FABMS data of the methanolysis products. For the assignment of the relative configurations of the three contiguous oxymethine carbons in 1 and 2, Kishi's universal NMR database was applied to the methanolysis products. During the assignments of relative configurations of the isolated 1-hydroxy-3-methyl moiety in 1 and the isolated 1-hydroxy-2-methyl moiety in 2, we found diagnostic NMR features to distinguish each pair of diastereomers. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by a combination of the modified Mosher's method and Marfey's method. Although the modified Mosher's method was successfully applied to the methanolysis product of 1, this method gave an ambiguous result at C-20 when applied to the methanolysis product of 2, even after oxidative cleavage of the C-14 and C-15 bond.

Full Text Available A series of novel aromatic carboxylic acidamides were synthesized and tested for their activities against six phytopathogenic fungi by an in vitro mycelia growth inhibition assay. Most of them displayed moderate to good activity. Among them N-(2-(1H-indazol-1-ylphenyl-2-(trifluoromethylbenzamide (3c exhibited the highest antifungal activity against Pythium aphanidermatum (EC50 = 16.75 µg/mL and Rhizoctonia solani (EC50 = 19.19 µg/mL, compared to the reference compound boscalid with EC50 values of 10.68 and 14.47 µg/mL, respectively. Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA were employed to develop a three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship model for the activity of the compounds. In the molecular docking, a fluorine atom and the carbonyl oxygen atom of 3c formed hydrogen bonds toward the hydroxyl hydrogens of TYR58 and TRP173.

Some foods, beverages, and food ingredients show characteristic long-lasting aftertastes. The sweet, lingering taste of high intensity sweeteners or the astringency of tea catechins are typical examples. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant catechin in green tea, causes a long-lasting astringency and bitterness. These sensations are mostly perceived as aversive and are only accepted in a few foods (e.g., tea and red wine). For the evaluation of the aftertaste of such constituents over a certain period of time, Intensity Variation Descriptive Methodology (IVDM) was used. The approach allows the measurement of different descriptors in parallel in one panel session. IVDM was evaluated concerning the inter- and intraindividual differences of panelists for bitterness and astringency of EGCG. Subsequently, the test method was used as a screening tool for the identification of potential modality-selective masking compounds. In particular, the intensity of the astringency of EGCG (750 mg kg(-1)) could be significantly lowered by 18-33% during the time course by adding the trigeminal-active compound trans-pellitorine (2E,4E-decadienoic acid N-isobutyl amide 1, 5 mg kg(-1)) without significantly affecting bitterness perception. Further, structurally related compounds were evaluated on EGCG to gain evidence for possible structure-activity relationships. A more polar derivative of 1, (2S)-2-[[(2E,4E)-deca-2,4-dienoyl]amino]propanoic acid 9, was also able to reduce the astringency of EGCG similar to trans-pellitorine but without showing the strong tingling effect.

Primary fatty acidamides (PFAM) are important signaling molecules in the mammalian nervous system, binding to many drug receptors and demonstrating control over sleep, locomotion, angiogenesis, and many other processes. Oleamide is the best-studied of the primary fatty acidamides, whereas the other known PFAMs are significantly less studied. Herein, quantitative assays were used to examine the endogenous amounts of a panel of PFAMs, as well as the amounts produced after incubation of mouse neuroblastoma N18TG2 and sheep choroid plexus (SCP) cells with the corresponding fatty acids or N-tridecanoylethanolamine. Although five endogenous primary amides were discovered in the N18TG2 and SCP cells, a different pattern of relative amounts were found between the two cell lines. Higher amounts of primary amides were found in SCP cells, and the conversion of N-tridecanoylethanolamine to tridecanamide was observed in the two cell lines. The data reported here show that the N18TG2 and SCP cells are excellent model systems for the study of PFAM metabolism. Furthermore, the data support a role for the N-acylethanolamines as precursors for the PFAMs and provide valuable new kinetic results useful in modeling the metabolic flux through the pathways for PFAM biosynthesis and degradation. PMID:22095832

Two direct methylation procedures often used for the analysis of total fatty acids in biological samples were evaluated for their application to samples containing fatty amides. Methylation of 5 mg of oleamide (cis-9-octadecenamide) in a one-step (methanolic HCl for 2 h at 70 degrees C) or a two-step (sodium methoxide for 10 min at 50 degrees C followed by methanolic HCl for 10 min at 80 degrees C) procedure gave 59 and 16% conversions of oleamide to oleic acid, respectively. Oleic acid recovery from oleamide was increased to 100% when the incubation in methanolic HCl was lengthened to 16 h and increased to 103% when the incubation in methoxide was modified to 24 h at 100 degrees C. However, conversion of oleamide to oleic acid in an animal feed sample was incomplete for the modified (24 h) two-step procedure but complete for the modified (16 h) one-step procedure. Unsaturated fatty amides in feed and digesta samples can be converted to fatty acid methyl esters by incubation in methanolic HCl if the time of exposure to the acid catalyst is extended from 2 to 16 h.

Full Text Available In the brain, seizures lead to release of large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids including arachidonic acid (ARA. ARA is a substrate for three major enzymatic routes of metabolism by cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase and cytochrome P450 enzymes. These enzymes convert ARA to potent lipid mediators including prostanoids, leukotrienes and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs. The prostanoids and leukotrienes are largely pro-inflammatory molecules that sensitize neurons whereas EETs are anti-inflammatory and reduce the excitability of neurons. Recent evidence suggests a GABA-related mode of action potentially mediated by neurosteroids. Here we tested this hypothesis using models of chemically induced seizures. The level of EETs in the brain was modulated by inhibiting the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH, the major enzyme that metabolizes EETs to inactive molecules, by genetic deletion of sEH and by direct administration of EETs into the brain. All three approaches delayed onset of seizures instigated by GABA antagonists but not seizures through other mechanisms. Inhibition of neurosteroid synthesis by finasteride partially blocked the anticonvulsant effects of sEH inhibitors while the efficacy of an inactive dose of neurosteroid allopregnanolone was enhanced by sEH inhibition. Consistent with earlier findings, levels of prostanoids in the brain were elevated. In contrast, levels of bioactive EpFAs were decreased following seizures. Overall these results demonstrate that EETs are natural molecules which suppress the tonic component of seizure related excitability through modulating the GABA activity and that exploration of the EET mediated signaling in the brain could yield alternative approaches to treat convulsive disorders.

Although valproic acid (VPA) is used extensively for treating various kinds of epilepsies, it is well known that it causes neural tube and skeletal defects in both humans and animals. The amide and urea derivatives of the tetramethylcylcopropyl VPA analogue, N-methoxy-2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropanecarboxamide (N-methoxy-TMCD) and 2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropanecarbonylurea (TMC-urea), were synthesized and shown to have a more potent anticonvulsant activity than VPA. The objective of this study was to investigate the teratogenic effects of these compounds in NMRI mice. Pregnant NMRI mice were given a single subcutaneous injection of either VPA, N-methoxy-TMCD, or TMC-urea at 1.8 and 3.6 mmol/kg on gestation day (GD) 8. Cesarean section was performed on GD 18. First, the live fetuses were examined to detect any external malformations, then their skeletons were double-stained for bone and cartilage and subsequently examined. Significant increases in fetal losses and neural tube defects were observed with administration of VPA at 3.6 mmol/kg when compared to the vehicle control. In contrast, upon cesarean section, there were no significant differences between either N-methoxy-TMCD or TMC-urea and the control groups for any parameter. Skeletal examination revealed that a number of the abnormalities were induced by VPA dose-dependently at high rates of incidence. These abnormalities were mainly at the axial skeletal level. However, lower frequencies of skeletal abnormality were observed with N-methoxy-TMCD and TMC-urea than with VPA. In addition to their more potent antiepileptic activity, these findings clearly indicate that N-methoxy-TMCD and TMC-urea are distinctly less teratogenic than VPA in NMRI mice.

We report on a series of novel photochromic poly(amide imide)s and their poly(amic acid) precursors bearing azobenzene chromophores as the side groups. The chemical structures of the polymers were designed so that they exhibited an enhanced thermal stability combined with a large and stable birefringence photogenerated by light of the wavelengths belonging to a wide spectral range. The polymers possessed rigidly attached azochromophores in the content of either one or two per a repeating unit, which in the latter case differed in their structures. The imidization kinetics of the poly(amic acid)s was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and the kinetic parameters were estimated using Ozawa and Kissinger methods. Measurements of the selected physical properties of the polymers, such as solubility, supramolecular structure, linear absorption, thermal stability, glass transition and photochromic response were performed and used for determination of the structure-property relations. The measurements of photochromic properties showed a very efficient generation of optical anisotropy upon blue and violet irradiation, for both the poly(amide imide)s containing two different chromophores in the repeating unit and for their precursors. For these poly(amide imide)s and for their precursors an exceptionally slow decrease in the photoinduced optical anisotropy in the dark was also observed. - Highlights: • Three azopoly(amide imide)s were obtained from azopoly(amic acid)s. • Chosen physicochemical properties and photochromic responses were measured. • Desired optical response was found for polymers with two azo-dyes in repeating unit. • Structure-property relations were shown.

An effective method of synthesis of secondary alkylamides of phosphorylacetic acids (APA), based on amidation of ethyl esters of phosphorylacetic acids with primary aliphatic amines, was developed. Extraction of americium(III) complexes with APA solutions in dichloroethane and uranium(VI) sorption by sorbents with non-covalently fixed APA from nitric acid solutions were studied. In the course of americium(III) extraction there is no correlation between Am III distribution factor and APA structure, whereas during uranium(VI) sorption a dependence of U VI extraction degree on the complexing agent structure is observed [ru

A series of fatty acidamides were synthesized and their peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α) agonistic activities were evaluated in a normal rat liver cell line, clone 9. The mRNAs of the PPAR-α downstream genes, carnitine-palmitoyltransferase-1 and mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase, were determined by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as PPAR-α agonistic activities. We prepared nine oleic acidamides. Their PPAR-α agonistic activities were, in decreasing order, N-oleoylhistamine (OLHA), N-oleoylglycine, Oleamide, N-oleoyltyramine, N-oleoylsertonin, and Olvanil. The highest activity was found with OLHA. We prepared and evaluated nine N-acylhistamines (N-acyl-HAs). Of these, OLHA, C16:0-HA, and C18:1Δ(9)-trans-HA showed similar activity. Activity due to the different chain length of the saturated fatty acid peaked at C16:0-HA. The PPAR-α antagonist, GW6471, inhibited the induction of the PPAR-α downstream genes by OLHA and N-oleoylethanolamide (OEA). These data suggest that N-acyl-HAs could be considered new PPAR-α agonists.

The expression of VEGFR2 (Flk-1, according to immunohistochemistry) and of cyclin D2 mRNA (according to real-time PCR) in the myocardium of rats is studied in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy and in response to betulonic acidamide. Doxorubicin alone and in combination with betulonic acidamide causes after 3 days a manifest reduction of cyclin D2 mRNA expression (by 38 and 63%, respectively), while injection of betulonic acidamide alone causes a 23-fold increase of cyclin D2 mRNA expression. An increase of cyclin D2 mRNA expression has been detected in all experimental groups after 14 days of experiment, the most pronounced in response to betulonic acidamide (63 times). The expression of Flk-1 in cardiomyocytes increases significantly in response to both chemical agents starting from day 3 of experiment. These results indicate that doxorubicin and betulonic acidamide induce cytoprotective reactions in the myocardium, first at the intracellular, then at the cellular levels.

A four step synthesis of [5,6- 14 C]-eicosa-5,8,11-triynoic acid from [ 14 C]-labelled acetylene is described. [ 14 C 2 ]-acetylene was converted to 5-chloro-[1,2- 14 C]-pentyne via reaction of its monolithium salt with 3-bromo-1-chloropropane. The doubly labelled 5-chloropentyne thus obtained was transformed to [5,6- 14 C]-hex-5-ynoic acid which was then coupled with 1-chloro-tetradeca-2,5-diyne to give the title compound. Using 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol and 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine, amides which had previously been found to be potent inhibitors of the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme, were prepared from [ 14 C-labelled eicosatriynoic acid by way of acylimidazole chemistry. (author)

Hydroxycinnamic acidamides (HCAA) are secondary metabolites involved in plant development and defense that have been widely reported throughout the plant kingdom. These phenolics show antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:tyramine N-hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (THT) is the key enzyme in HCAA synthesis and is induced in response to pathogen infection, wounding, or elicitor treatments, preceding HCAA accumulation. We have engineered transgenic tomato plants overexpressing tomato THT. These plants displayed an enhanced THT gene expression in leaves as compared with wild type (WT) plants. Consequently, leaves of THT-overexpressing plants showed a higher constitutive accumulation of the amide coumaroyltyramine (CT). Similar results were found in flowers and fruits. Moreover, feruloyltyramine (FT) also accumulated in these tissues, being present at higher levels in transgenic plants. Accumulation of CT, FT and octopamine, and noradrenaline HCAA in response to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato infection was higher in transgenic plants than in the WT plants. Transgenic plants showed an enhanced resistance to the bacterial infection. In addition, this HCAA accumulation was accompanied by an increase in salicylic acid levels and pathogenesis-related gene induction. Taken together, these results suggest that HCAA may play an important role in the defense of tomato plants against P. syringae infection.

Metal cation-amino acid interactions are key components controlling the secondary structure and biological function of proteins, enzymes, and macromolecular complexes comprising these species. Determination of pairwise interactions of alkali metal cations with amino acids provides a thermodynamic vocabulary that begins to quantify these fundamental processes. In the present work, we expand a systematic study of such interactions by examining rubidium and cesium cations binding with the acidic amino acids (AA), aspartic acid (Asp) and glutamic acid (Glu), and their amide derivatives, asparagine (Asn) and glutamine (Gln). These eight complexes are formed using electrospray ionization and their bond dissociation energies (BDEs) are determined experimentally using threshold collision-induced dissociation with xenon in a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer. Analyses of the energy-dependent cross sections include consideration of unimolecular decay rates, internal energy of the reactant ions, and multiple ion-neutral collisions. Quantum chemical calculations are conducted at the B3LYP, MP2(full), and M06 levels of theory using def2-TZVPPD basis sets, with results showing reasonable agreement with experiment. At 0 and 298 K, most levels of theory predict that the ground-state conformers for M(+)(Asp) and M(+)(Asn) involve tridentate binding of the metal cation to the backbone carbonyl, amino, and side-chain carbonyl groups, although tridentate binding to the carboxylic acid group and side-chain carbonyl is competitive for M(+)(Asn). For the two longer side-chain amino acids, Glu and Gln, multiple structures are competitive. A comparison of these results to those for the smaller alkali cations, Na(+) and K(+), provides insight into the trends in binding energies associated with the molecular polarizability and dipole moment of the side chain. For all four metal cations, the BDEs are inversely correlated with the size of the metal cation and follow the order Asp < Glu

TriOctylAmine (TOA) and a di-substituted aliphatic amide, N,N-Di-N-ButylOctanamide (DBOA), were examined in batch and in mini mixer-settler experiments using leachates of Peruvian and Bolivian concentrates. With these minerals, very rich in sulfur (pyrites, stybine), 90-95% gold recovery in 12-24 hours was reached by leaching with 4M aqua regia (HCl 3M nitric acid 1M) at room temperature and with 1/3 solid/liquid ratio. With these leachate solutions (2-3M total acidity, 10-60 ppm ao Au), the two processes with TOA (GAMEX PROCESS) and with DBOA (AUMIDEX PROCESS) were tested and compared. Experimental results strongly support the possibility of using TOA and DBOA on an industrial scale.

Limited information is available on α-amino-ε-caprolactam (ACL) racemase (ACLR), a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme that acts on ACL and α-amino acidamides. In the present study, eight bacterial strains with the ability to racemize α-amino-ε-caprolactam were isolated and one of them was identified as Ensifer sp. strain 23-3. The gene for ACLR from Ensifer sp. 23-3 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant ACLR was then purified to homogeneity from the E. coli transformant harboring the ACLR gene from Ensifer sp. 23-3, and its properties were characterized. This enzyme acted not only on ACL but also on α-amino-δ-valerolactam, α-amino-ω-octalactam, α-aminobutyric acidamide, and alanine amide.

Full Text Available Locally produced non-edible oil, namely, rice bran oil (R.B.O. was utilized as starting materials for preparing new nonionic surfactant. Oxypropylated diol monoesters of linoleic and rice bran oil fatty acids were prepared. Also amide oxime derivatives were obtained. Surface active properties of these compounds were measured. Under neutral condition amide eximes served as nonionic surfactants and their properties were similar to other oxypropylated monoesters.

Glycoside hydrolases having at least two different hydrolytic activities are provided. In one embodiment, an isolated recombinant hydrolase having at least two activities selected from a group including asparagine derivatives, glutamine derivatives, and histidine derivatives is provided. Further, a method of generating free sugars from a mixture comprising asparagine derivatives, glutamine derivatives, and histidine derivatives is provided.

Full Text Available Choloylglycine hydrolase (CGH, E.C. 3.5.1.24 is a conjugated bile salt hydrolase that catalyses the hydrolysis of the amide bond in conjugated bile acids. Bile salt hydrolases are expressed by gastrointestinal bacteria, and they presumably decrease the toxicity of host's conjugated bile salts. Brucella species are the causative agents of brucellosis, a disease affecting livestock and humans. CGH confers Brucella the ability to deconjugate and resist the antimicrobial action of bile salts, contributing to the establishment of a successful infection through the oral route in mice. Additionally, cgh-deletion mutant was also attenuated in intraperitoneally inoculated mice, which suggests that CGH may play a role during systemic infection other than hydrolyzing conjugated bile acids. To understand the role CGH plays in B. abortus virulence, we infected phagocytic and epithelial cells with a cgh-deletion mutant (Δcgh and found that it is defective in the internalization process. This defect along with the increased resistance of Δcgh to the antimicrobial action of polymyxin B, prompted an analysis of the cell envelope of this mutant. Two-dimensional electrophoretic profiles of Δcgh cell envelope-associated proteins showed an altered expression of Omp2b and different members of the Omp25/31 family. These results were confirmed by Western blot analysis with monoclonal antibodies. Altogether, the results indicate that Brucella CGH not only participates in deconjugation of bile salts but also affects overall membrane composition and host cell internalization.

Full Text Available HIV-1 integrase (IN is an attractive and validated target for the development of novel therapeutics against AIDS. In the search for new IN inhibitors, we designed and synthesized three series of bis-amide and hydrazide-containing derivatives of malonic acid. We performed a docking study to investigate the potential interactions of the title compounds with essential amino acids on the IN active site.

Six dichloro-s-triazine (DCT) reagents having L-Leu, D-Phg, L-Val, L-Met, L-Ala and L-Met-NH(2) as chiral auxiliaries in cyanuric chloride were introduced for enantioseparation of 13 proteinogenic amino acids. Four other DCTs and six monochloro-s-triazine (MCT) reagents having amino acidamides as chiral auxiliaries were also synthesized. These 16 chiral derivatizing reagents (CDRs) were used for synthesis of diastereomers of all the 13 analytes using microwave irradiation, which were resolved by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) using C18 column and gradient eluting mixture of aqueous TFA and acetonitrile with UV detection at 230 nm. It required only 60-90 s for derivatization using microwave irradiation. Better resolution and lower retention times were observed for the diastereomers prepared with CDRs having amino acids as chiral auxiliaries as compared to counterparts prepared with reagents having amino acidamides as chiral auxiliaries. As the best resolution of all the 13 analytes was observed for their diastereomers prepared using the DCT reagent having L-Leu as chiral auxiliary, this CDR was further employed for derivatization of Lys, Tyr, His and Arg followed by RP-HPLC analysis of resulting diastereomers. The results are discussed in light of acid and amide groups of chiral auxiliaries constituting CDRs, electronegativities of the atoms of achiral moieties constituting CDRs and hydrophobicities of side chains of amino acids constituting CDRs and analytes.

Full Text Available In the present work few novel 2-(4-methylbenzenesulphonamidopentanedioic acid bis amide derivatives and the basic compound 2-(4-methylphenylsulfonamidopentanedioic acid have been synthesized, characterized and screened for their possible antineoplastic activity both in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro activity was performed against five human cell lines like human breast cancer (MCF-7, leukemia (K-562, ovarian cancer (OVACAR-3, human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29 and Human kidney carcinoma (A-498. The in vivo activity was performed in female swiss albino mice against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC. Among the synthesized compounds, ureide, anilide, p-nitoanilide and o-bromoanilide derivatives of 2-(4-methyl benzene sulphonyl-pentanedioic acid bis amides showed encouraging activity in both the in vitro and in vivo compared to other compounds.

Changes of bile salt tolerance, morphology and amount of bile acid within cells were studied to evaluate the exact effects of bile salt hydrolase (BSH) on bile salt tolerance of microorganism. The effect of BSHs on the bile salt tolerance of Lactococcus lactis was examined by expressing two BSHs (BSH1 and BSH2). Growth of L. lactis expressing BSH1 or BSH2 was better under bile salt stress compared to wild-type L. lactis. As indicated by transmission electron microscopy, bile acids released by the action of BSH induced the formation of micelles around the membrane surface of cells subject to conjugated bile salt stress. A similar micelle containing bile acid was observed in the cytoplasm by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. BSH1 produced fewer bile acid micelles in the cytoplasm and achieved better cell growth of L. lactis compared to BSH2. Expression of BSH improved bile salt tolerance of L. lactis but excessive production by BSH of bile acid micelles in the cytoplasm inhibited cell growth.

Full Text Available This study collected different probiotic isolates from animal and plant sources to evaluate the bile-salt hydrolase activity of probiotics in vitro. The deconjugation potential of bile acid was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. HepG2 cells were cultured with probiotic strains with high BSH activity. The triglyceride (TG and apolipoprotein B (apo B secretion by HepG2 cells were evaluated. Our results show that the BSH activity and bile-acid deconjugation abilities of Pediococcus acidilactici NBHK002, Bifidobacterium adolescentis NBHK006, Lactobacillus rhamnosus NBHK007, and Lactobacillus acidophilus NBHK008 were higher than those of the other probiotic strains. The cholesterol concentration in cholesterol micelles was reduced within 24 h. NBHK007 reduced the TG secretion by 100% after 48 h of incubation. NBHK002, NBHK006, and NBHK007 could reduce apo B secretion by 33%, 38%, and 39%, respectively, after 24 h of incubation. The product PROBIO S-23 produced a greater decrease in the total concentration of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, TG, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance in the serum or livers of hamsters with hypercholesterolemia compared with that of hamsters fed with a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet. These results show that the three probiotic strains of lactic acid bacteria are better candidates for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Extensive isolation work on the 1-BuOH-soluble fraction of a MeOH extract of the aerial parts of Dianthus japonicus afforded three further triterpene glycosyl estsers, termed dianthosaponins G-I, an anthranilic acidamide glucoside and a C-glycosyl flavonoid along with one known triterpene saponin. Their structures were elucidated from spectroscopic evidence. The cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds toward A549 cells was evaluated.

Poly(A) + RNA from pregnant rat mammary glands was size-fractionated by sucrose gradient centrifugation, and fractions enriched in medium-chain S-acyl fatty acid synthetase thio ester hydrolase (MCH) were identified by in vitro translation and immunoprecipitation. A cDNA library was constructed, in pBR322, from enriched poly(A) + RNA and screened with two oligonucleotide probes deduced from rat MCH amino acid sequence data. Cross-hybridizing clones were isolated and found to contain cDNA inserts ranging from ∼ 1100 to 1550 base pairs (bp). A 1550-bp cDNA insert, from clone 43H09, was confirmed to encode MCH by hybrid-select translation/immunoprecipitation studies and by comparison of the amino acid sequence deduced from the DNA sequence of the clone to the amino acid sequence of the MCH peptides. Northern blot analysis revealed the size of the MCH mRNA to be 1500 nucleotides, and it is therefore concluded that the 1550-bp insert (including G x C tails) of clone 43H09 represents a full- or near-full-length copy of the MCH gene. The rat MCH sequence is the first reported sequence of a thioesterase from a mammalian source, but comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of MCH and the recently published mallard duck medium-chain S-acyl fatty acid synthetase thioesterase reveals significant homology. In particular, a seven amino acid sequence containing the proposed active serine of the duck thioesterase is found to be perfectly conserved in rat MCH

Full Text Available Cyanuric acidhydrolase (CAH catalyzes the hydrolytic ring-opening of cyanuric acid (2,4,6-trihydroxy-1,3,5-triazine, an intermediate in s-triazine bacterial degradation and a by-product from disinfection with trichloroisocyanuric acid. In the present study, an X-ray crystal structure of the CAH-barbituric acid inhibitor complex from Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS 571 has been determined at 2.7 Å resolution. The CAH protein fold consists of three structurally homologous domains forming a β-barrel-like structure with external α-helices that result in a three-fold symmetry, a dominant feature of the structure and active site that mirrors the three-fold symmetrical shape of the substrate cyanuric acid. The active site structure of CAH is similar to that of the recently determined AtzD with three pairs of active site Ser-Lys dyads. In order to determine the role of each Ser-Lys dyad in catalysis, a mutational study using a highly sensitive, enzyme-coupled assay was conducted. The 10⁹-fold loss of activity by the S226A mutant was at least ten times lower than that of the S79A and S333A mutants. In addition, bioinformatics analysis revealed the Ser226/Lys156 dyad as the only absolutely conserved dyad in the CAH/barbiturase family. These data suggest that Lys156 activates the Ser226 nucleophile which can then attack the substrate carbonyl. Our combination of structural, mutational, and bioinformatics analyses differentiates this study and provides experimental data for mechanistic insights into this unique protein family.

In a screen for small-molecule inhibitors of retinoid acid-related orphan receptor γ (RORγ), we fortuitously discovered that a class of aryl amide compounds behaved as functional activators of the interleukin 17 (IL-17) reporter in Jurkat cells. Three of these compounds were selected for further analysis and found to activate the IL-17 reporter with potencies of ∼0.1 μM measured by EC₅₀. These compounds were shown to directly bind to RORγ by circular dichroism-based thermal stability experiments. Furthermore, they can enhance an in vitro Th17 differentiation process in human primary T cells. As RORγ remains an orphan nuclear receptor, discovery of these aryl amide compounds as functional agonists will now provide pharmacological tools for us to dissect functions of RORγ and facilitate drug discovery efforts for immune-modulating therapies.

Thermodynamic and structural properties of a chemically modified DNA-RNA hybrid in which a phosphodiester linkage is replaced by a neutral amide-3 linkage (3'-CH(2)-CONH-5') were investigated using UV melting experiments, molecular dynamics simulations in explicit water, and continuum solvent models. van't Hoff analysis of the experimental UV melting curves suggests that the significant increase of the thermodynamic stability of a 15-mer DNA-RNA with seven alternated amide-3 modifications (+11 degrees C) is mainly due to an increased binding enthalpy. To further evaluate the origin in the observed affinities differences, the electrostatic contribution to the binding free energy was calculated by solving the Poisson-Boltzmann equation numerically. The nonelectrostatic contribution was estimated as the product of a hydrophobic surface tension coefficient and the surface area that is buried upon double strand formation. Structures were taken from 10 ns molecular dynamics simulations computed in a consistent fashion using explicit solvent, counterions, and the particle-mesh Ewald procedure. The present preliminary thermodynamic study suggests that the favorable binding free energy of the amide-3 DNA single strand to the complementary RNA is equally driven by electrostatic and nonpolar contributions to the binding compared to their natural analogues. In addition, molecular dynamics simulations in explicit water were performed on an amide-3 DNA single strand and the corresponding natural DNA. Results from the conformations cluster analysis of the simulated amide-3 DNA single strand ensembles suggest that the 25% of the population sampled within 10 ns has a pre-organized conformation where the sugar C3' endo pucker is favored at the 3'-flanking nucleotides. These structural and thermodynamic features contribute to the understanding of the observed increased affinities of the amide-3 DNA-RNA hybrids at the microscopic level.

BACKGROUND: Glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) 7-36 amide and peptide YY (PYY) from the L-cell of the ileal mucosa are potent inhibitors of gastric acid secretion in man. It is not clear, however, by which mechanism(s) they inhibit acid secretion. In dogs the inhibitory effect of PYY on acid secretion...

This study was aimed to evaluate the preventive role of squalene on free amino acids and lysosomal alterations in experimentally induced myocardial infarction in rats. The levels of lysosomal enzymes (beta-glucuronidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucosidase, acid phosphatase and cathepsin D) in p...

Among the members of tumour necrosis factor family Fas ligand on binding to its receptor strongly induces apoptosis of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). Thus, FasL acts as an inhibitor of anti-tumour immune response. The present study demonstrates that retinoic acid morpholine amide (RAMA) significantly suppresses FasL expression in colon cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The suppression of FasL mRNA and proteins was significant at a concentration of 30 μM after 48 h in CLT85 and HT26 colon cancer cells. There was around 2.6- and 3.2-fold decrease in FasL mRNA after incubation with 30 μM of RAMA in CLT85 cells and HT26 cells, respectively. The results from Western blot showed a decrease in FasL mRNA and protein expression in both CLT85 and HT26 cells after suppression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and COX-1 by RNAi. However, when COX-2-specific silencer RNA (siCOX-2)- and siCOX-1-treated CLT85 and HT26 cells were exposed to RAMA, inhibition of FasL expression was further suppressed. The siCOX-2-treated CLT85 and HT26 cells on exposure to RAMA showed ∼87 and ∼54 % reduction in FasL mRNA, respectively. Co-culture of Jurkat T cells with RAMA-treated HT26 and CLT85 cells decreased the viability of Jurkat T cells by only 2 and 4.3 %, respectively, compared to 19.5 and 37.3 % in control HT26 and CLT85 cells. The results from real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoblotting showed that suppression of EP1 prevented RAMA-induced FasL suppression in CLT85 cells at both the mRNA and protein levels. Thus, RAMA can be a potent therapeutic agent for the treatment of colon tumours.

The reaction of betulonic acid chloride with 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpeperidine-1-oxyl, 3-amino-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-1-oxyl and 3-aminomethyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-1-oxyl gave corresponding triterpenoid amides. It was found that new derivatives exhibit cytotoxic activity against tumor cells CEM-13, U-937, MT-4. CCID50 value for most activity compound--N-[3-oxolup-20(29)-en-30-yl]-(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-4-yl)-1-oxyl--was 5.7-33.1 microM.

A four step synthesis of (5,6-{sup 14}C)-eicosa-5,8,11-triynoic acid from ({sup 14}C)-labelled acetylene is described. ({sup 14}C{sub 2})-acetylene was converted to 5-chloro-(1,2-{sup 14}C)-pentyne via reaction of its monolithium salt with 3-bromo-1-chloropropane. The doubly labelled 5-chloropentyne thus obtained was transformed to (5,6-{sup 14}C)-hex-5-ynoic acid which was then coupled with 1-chloro-tetradeca-2,5-diyne to give the title compound. Using 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol and 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine, amides which had previously been found to be potent inhibitors of the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme, were prepared from ({sup 14}C)-labelled eicosatriynoic acid by way of acylimidazole chemistry. (author).

Poly(tetramethylene oxide)-based poly(ether ester amide)s with monodisperse tetraamide segments were synthesized. The tetraamide segment was based on adipic acid, terephthalic acid, and hexamethylenediamine. The synthesis method of the copolymers and the influence of the tetraamide concentration,

Full Text Available Hydroxycinnamic acidamides (HCAA are the secondary metabolites ubiquitously exist in flowering plants, formed by condensation between hydroxycinnamates and mono or polyamines. HCAA species not only serve multiple functions in plant growth and development, but also exert significant positive effects on human health. In this study, we combined organic synthesis and UPHLC-TripleQ-MS/MS specifically targeting at HCAA species. The method was fully validated with respect to specificity, linearity, intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy, limit of detection (LOD, limit of quantification (LOQ, recovery, and reproducibility. We applied this method to identify and quantify HCAAs from the root barks and leaves of Lycium barbarum. HCAA species were reported in leaves for the first time, and 10 new HCAA species were further identified in root barks in addition to the ones reported in the literature. We also examine anti-inflammatory properties of identified HCAAs species. Seven HCAA compounds had a potent NO inhibitory effect with IC50 as low as 2.381 μM (trans-N-caffeoyl phenethylamine. Our developed method largely improved analytical sensitivity of HCAAs species that potentially contributes to plant metabolomics studies. Keywords: Hydroxycinnamic acidamide, Lycium barbarum, UHPLC-MS/MS, Quantification, Anti-inflammatory

Full Text Available Two new poly(amide-imide-montmorillonite reinforced nanocomposites containing bis(4-carboxyphenyl-N,N'-pyromellitimide acid moiety in the main chain were synthesized by a convenient solution intercalation technique. Poly(amide-imide (PAI as a source of polymer matrix was synthesized by the direct polycondensation reaction of bis(4-carboxyphenyl-N,N'-pyromellitimide acid with 4,4'-diamino diphenyl sulfone in the presence of triphenyl phosphite (TPP, CaCl2, pyridine and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP. Morphology and structure of the resulting PAI-nanocomposite films with 10 and 20% silicate particles were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The effect of clay dispersion and the interaction between clay and polymeric chains on the properties of nanocomposites films were investigated by using UV-Vis spectroscopy, thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA and water uptake measurements.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v27i1.10

Electron reactions with a number of peptide model compounds (amides and N-acetylamino acids) in aqueous glasses at low temperature have been investigated using ESR spectroscopy. The radicals produced by electron attachment to amides, RC(OD)NDR', are found to act as hydrogen abstracting agents. For example, the propionamide electron adduct is found to abstract from its parent propionamide. Electron adducts of other amides investigated show similar behavior except for acetamide electron adduct which does not abstract from its parent compound, but does abstract from other amides. The tendency toward abstraction for amide electron adducts are compared to electron adducts of several carboxylic acids, ketones, aldehydes and esters. The comparison suggests the hydrogen abstraction tendency of the various deuterated electron adducts (DEAs) to be in the following order: aldehyde DEA > acid DEA = approximately ester DEA > ketone DEA > amide DEA. In basic glasses the hydrogen abstraction ability of the amide electron adducts is maintained until the concentration of base is increased sufficiently to convert the DEA to its anionic form, RC(O - )ND 2 . In this form the hydrogen abstracting ability of the radical is greatly diminished. Similar results were found for the ester and carboxylic acid DEA's tested. (author)

The redox regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) via the unusual transformation of its sulfenic acid (PTP1B-SOH) to a cyclic sulfenyl amide intermediate is studied by using small molecule chemical models. These studies suggest that the sulfenic acids derived from the H2O2-mediated reactions o-amido thiophenols do not efficiently cyclize to sulfenyl amides and the sulfenic acids produced in situ can be trapped by using methyl iodide. Theoretical calculations suggest that the most stable conformer of such sulfenic acids are stabilized by nO → σ*S-OH orbital interactions, which force the -OH group to adopt a position trans to the S&ctdot;O interaction, leading to an almost linear arrangement of the O&ctdot;S-O moiety and this may be the reason for the slow cyclization of such sulfenic acids to their corresponding sulfenyl amides. On the other hand, additional substituents at the 6-position of o-amido phenylsulfenic acids that can induce steric environment and alter the electronic properties around the sulfenic acid moiety by S&ctdot;N or S&ctdot;O nonbonded interactions destabilize the sulfenic acids by inducing strain in the molecule. This may lead to efficient the cyclization of such sulfenic acids. This model study suggests that the amino acid residues in the close proximity of the sulfenic acid moiety in PTP1B may play an important role in the cyclization of PTP1B-SOH to produce the corresponding sulfenyl amide.

A series of novel 3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acidamides were synthesized and their activities were tested against seven phytopathogenic fungi by an in vitro mycelia growth inhibition assay. Most of them displayed moderate to excellent activities. Among them N-(2-(5-bromo-1H-indazol-1-yl)phenyl)-3-(difluoro-methyl)-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide (9m) exhibited higher antifungal activity against the seven phytopathogenic fungi than boscalid. Topomer CoMFA was employed to develop a three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship model for the compounds. In molecular docking, the carbonyl oxygen atom of 9m could form hydrogen bonds towards the hydroxyl of TYR58 and TRP173 on SDH.

Full Text Available A series of novel 3-(difluoromethyl-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acidamides were synthesized and their activities were tested against seven phytopathogenic fungi by an in vitro mycelia growth inhibition assay. Most of them displayed moderate to excellent activities. Among them N-(2-(5-bromo-1H-indazol-1-ylphenyl-3-(difluoro-methyl-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide (9m exhibited higher antifungal activity against the seven phytopathogenic fungi than boscalid. Topomer CoMFA was employed to develop a three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship model for the compounds. In molecular docking, the carbonyl oxygen atom of 9m could form hydrogen bonds towards the hydroxyl of TYR58 and TRP173 on SDH.

SOLID-PHASE PEPTIDE SYNTHESIS OF ISOTOCIN WITH AMIDE OF ASPARAGINE PROTECTED WITH 1-TETRALINYL. TRIFLUOROMETHANESULPHONIC ACID (TFMSA) DEPROTECTION, CLEAVAGE AND AIR OXIDATION OF MERCAPTO GROUPS TO DISULPHIDE.

Inductions by perfluoro-octanoic acid (PFOA) of hepatomegaly, peroxisomal beta-oxidation, microsomal 1-acylglycerophosphocholine acyltransferase and cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase were compared in liver between male and female rats. Marked inductions of these four parameters were seen concurrently in liver of male rats, whereas the inductions in liver of female rats were far less pronounced. The sex-related difference in the response of rat liver to PFOA was much more marked than that seen with p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid (clofibric acid) or 2,2'-(decamethylenedithio)diethanol (tiadenol). Hormonal manipulations revealed that this sex-related difference in the inductions is strongly dependent on sex hormones, namely that testosterone is necessary for the inductions, whereas oestradiol prevented the inductions by PFOA. PMID:2570571

Amide bond formation reactions are among the most important transformations in organic chemistry because of the widespread occurrence of amides in pharmaceuticals, natural products and biologically active compounds. The Beckmann rearrangement is a well-known method to generate secondary amides from ketoximes. However, under the acidic conditions commonly employed, aldoximes RHC=NOH rarely rearrange into the corresponding primary amides RC(=O)NH2. In recent years, it was demonstrated that this atom-economical transformation can be carried out efficiently and selectively with the help of metal catalysts. Several homogeneous and heterogenous systems have been described. In addition, protocols offering the option to generate the aldoximes in situ from the corresponding aldehydes and hydroxylamine, or even from alcohols, have also been developed, as well as a series of tandem processes allowing the access to N-substituted amide products. In this Feature article a comprehensive overview of the advances achieved in this particular research area is presented.

α-Oxy amides are prepared through enantioselective synthesis using a sequence beginning with a Henry addition of bromonitromethane to aldehydes and finishing with Umpolung Amide Synthesis (UmAS). Key to high enantioselection is the finding that ortho-iodo benzoic acid salts of the chiral copper(II) bis(oxazoline) catalyst deliver both diastereomers of the Henry adduct with high enantiomeric excess, homochiral at the oxygen-bearing carbon. Overall, this approach to α-oxy amides provides an innovative complement to alternatives that focus almost entirely on the enantioselective synthesis of α-oxy carboxylic acids.

Full Text Available Phenolic acids represent abundant components contained in human diet. However, the negative charge in their carboxylic group limits their capacity to diffuse through biological membranes, thus hindering their access to cell interior. In order to promote the diffusion of rosmarinic acid through biological membranes, we synthesized several lipophilic ester- and amide-derivatives of this compound and evaluated their capacity to prevent H2O2-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in cultured human cells. Esterification of the carboxylic moiety with lipophilic groups strongly enhanced the capacity of rosmarinic acid to protect cells. On the other hand, the amide-derivatives were somewhat less effective but exerted less cytotoxicity at high concentrations. Cell uptake experiments, using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS, illustrated different levels of intracellular accumulation among the ester- and amide-derivatives, with the first being more effectively accumulated, probably due to their extensive hydrolysis inside the cells. In conclusion, these results highlight the hitherto unrecognized fundamental importance of derivatization of diet-derived phenolic acids to unveil their biological potential.

Summary: The review summarizes the abundant information on the 35 identified peptidoglycan (PG) hydrolases of Escherichia coli classified into 12 distinct families, including mainly glycosidases, peptidases, and amidases. An attempt is also made to critically assess their functions in PG maturation, turnover, elongation, septation, and recycling as well as in cell autolysis. There is at least one hydrolytic activity for each bond linking PG components, and most hydrolase genes were identified. Few hydrolases appear to be individually essential. The crystal structures and reaction mechanisms of certain hydrolases having defined functions were investigated. However, our knowledge of the biochemical properties of most hydrolases still remains fragmentary, and that of their cellular functions remains elusive. Owing to redundancy, PG hydrolases far outnumber the enzymes of PG biosynthesis. The presence of the two sets of enzymes acting on the PG bonds raises the question of their functional correlations. It is difficult to understand why E. coli keeps such a large set of PG hydrolases. The subtle differences in substrate specificities between the isoenzymes of each family certainly reflect a variety of as-yet-unidentified physiological functions. Their study will be a far more difficult challenge than that of the steps of the PG biosynthesis pathway. PMID:22126997

Monoterpene citral and citronellal have been used as starting material for the preparation of 5,9-dimethyl-deca-2,4,8-trienoic acidamides and 9-formyl-5-methyl-deca-2,4,8-trienoic acidamides. The amides on bioevaluation as efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) against Staphylococcus aureus 1199 and NorA...

The photochemical reduction of uranyl ion by formamide, acetamide, propionamide, butyramide, iso butyramids, n-methylformamide, N, N-dimethylformamide and N, N-diethylformamide in aqueous medium using radiation >= 380 nm from a medium pressure mercury vapour lamp has been investigated. The reduction with the said amides has been found to obey pseudo first order kinetics. The magnitude of the rate of reduction for the simple amides has been found to follow the following order formamide > isobutyramide approx. butyramide > propionamide > acetamide while the rate order for N-alkylformamides compared with that of the formamide has been found to be formamide > N-methylformamide > N,N-diethylformamide approx. N,N-dimethylformamide. The pseudo first order rate constants and quenching constants have been found from the kinetic data. It has been found that physical and chemical quenching compete with each other. Plots of reciprocal of quantum yields versus reciprocal [amide] have been found to be linear with intercepts on the ordinate axis. Absorption spectra of uranyl ion in doubly distilled water, in the presence of acid and in the presence of acid and amide reveal that there is no ground state interaction between uranyl ion and the amide. A mechanism of photoreduction of uranyl ion with amides has been proposed. (author)

Phenolic esters like chlorogenic acid play an important role in therapeutic properties of many plant extracts. We aimed to produce phenolic esters in baker’s yeast, by expressing tobacco 4CL and globe artichoke HCT. Indeed yeast produced phenolic esters. However, the primary product was identified

In the backbone amide linker (BAL) strategy, the peptide is anchored not at the C-terminus but through a backbone amide, which leaves the C-terminal available for various modifications. This is thus a very general strategy for the introduction of C-terminal modifications. The BAL strategy...

A total of 16 phenolic compounds, including one new and five known N-cinnamoyl phenylethylamides, one new pyrrole alkaloid named portulacaldehyde, five phenylpropanoid acids and amides, and derivatives of benzaldehyde and benzoic acid, were isolated and identified from a polar fraction of an extract of Portulaca oleracea. Their structures were determined through spectroscopic analyses.

Oxychloride complexes of molybdenum (5) with polyfunctional ligands (L), namely with nicotinamide (NA), isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) and its derivatives (ftivazide, saluzide and larusan) have been synthesized and investigated. In ethanol all the ligands independently of their molar ratio form with MoCl 5 a non-electrolite compound MoOCl 3 xL 2 . Infrared spectra of the complexes suggest that in Mo(5) complexeS with NA and INH the central atom is bound through the pyridine nitrogen, whereas in the complexes with INH derivatives it is bound throught the carbonyl group oxygen

Friedel-Crafts acylation has been known since the 1870s and it is an important organic synthetic reaction leading to aromatic ketone products. Friedel-Crafts acylation is usually done with carboxylic acid chlorides or anhydrides while amides are generally not useful substrates in these reactions. Despite being the least reactive carboxylic acid derivative, we have found a series of amides capable of providing aromatic ketones in good yields (55–96%, 17 examples). We propose a mechanism involving diminished C-N resonance through superelectrophilic activation and subsequent cleavage to acyl cations. PMID:22690740

The electrochemical reduction of nitrates in aqueous solutions thereof in the presence of amides to gaseous nitrogen (N.sub.2) is described. Generally, electrochemical reduction of NO.sub.3 proceeds stepwise, from NO.sub.3 to N.sub.2, and subsequently in several consecutive steps to ammonia (NH.sub.3) as a final product. Addition of at least one amide to the solution being electrolyzed suppresses ammonia generation, since suitable amides react with NO.sub.2 to generate N.sub.2. This permits nitrate reduction to gaseous nitrogen to proceed by electrolysis. Suitable amides include urea, sulfamic acid, formamide, and acetamide.

Rare-earth elements provide the cornerstones to clean sustainable energy and modern technologies such as computers, communications, and transportation. As such, the recovery of rare earths (REs) from minerals such as bastnaesite remains important for modern times. As the light lanthanides (La–Nd) constitute the majority (typically > 98.7 %) of the REs in bastnaesite with the heavy REs (Sm–Lu) contributing the remainder (approximately 1.3 %), an enrichment of heavier REs may serve as an effective means of assisting rare-earth recovery. Such an extractive metallurgy process involving ionic liquids (ILs) leads to an enrichment of heavy REs by nearly an order of magnitude. The acidic IL N,N-dimethylacetamidium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (DMAH+NTf2–) in the IL 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BMIM+NTf2–) dissolves froth flotation bastnaesite, synthetic bastnaesite analogues (RECO3F), RE2O3, and RE2(CO3)3 minerals. Furthermore, an overall reaction for the dissolution of bastnaesite is proposed for this IL system. This IL system may provide the initial stages of a greater RE separation scheme for bastnaesite froth flotation concentrates.

The autolysis of lactic acid bacteria plays a major role during cheese ripening. The aim of this study was to evaluate the autolytic properties and peptidoglycan hydrolase content of dairy leuconostocs. Autolysis of 59 strains of dairy Leuconostoc was examined under starvation conditions in potassium phosphate buffer. The ability of dairy leuconostocs to lyse is strain dependant and not related to the species. The peptidoglycan hydrolase profile of Leuc. mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides 10L was analysed by renaturing gel electrophoresis. Two major activity bands migrating at 41 and 52 kDa were observed. According to the specificity analysis, strain 10L seems to contain a glycosidase and an N-acetyl-muramyl-L-alanine amidase, or an endopeptidase. The peptidoglycan hydrolase profiles of various Leuconostoc species were also compared. Several peptidoglycan hydrolase activities could be detected in the different Leuconostoc species. Further characterization of the peptidoglycan hydrolases will help to control autolysis of leuconostocs in cheese.

The tris(alkoxy)benzyl backbone amide linker (BAL) has found widespread application in solid-phase synthesis. The key intermediate for preparation of para BAL (p-BAL) is 2,6-dimethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde; several reports on its synthesis have appeared. However, the ortho analogue of the handle (o...

Diastereoselective Strecker reactions based on (R)-phenylglycine amide as chiral auxiliary are reported. The Strecker reaction is accompanied by an in situ crystallization-induced asymmetric transformation, whereby one diastereomer selectively precipitates and can be isolated in 76-93% yield and dr

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is well known as a model active pharmaceutical ingredient used in the study of polymorphism and the generation and comparison of cocrystal forms. The pharmaceutical amide dihydrocarbamazepine (DCBZ) is a less well known material and is largely of interest here as a structural congener of CBZ. Reaction of DCBZ with strong acids results in protonation of the amide functionality at the O atom and gives the salt forms dihydrocarbamazepine hydrochloride {systematic name: [(10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[b,f]azepin-5-yl)(hydroxy)methylidene]azanium chloride, C15H15N2O(+)·Cl(-)}, dihydrocarbamazepine hydrochloride monohydrate {systematic name: [(10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[b,f]azepin-5-yl)(hydroxy)methylidene]azanium chloride monohydrate, C15H15N2O(+)·Cl(-)·H2O} and dihydrocarbamazepine hydrobromide monohydrate {systematic name: [(10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[b,f]azepin-5-yl)(hydroxy)methylidene]azanium bromide monohydrate, C15H15N2O(+)·Br(-)·H2O}. The anhydrous hydrochloride has a structure with two crystallographically independent ion pairs (Z' = 2), wherein both cations adopt syn conformations, whilst the two hydrated species are mutually isostructural and have cations with anti conformations. Compared to neutral dihydrocarbamazepine structures, protonation of the amide group is shown to cause changes to both the molecular (C=O bond lengthening and C-N bond shortening) and the supramolecular structures. The amide-to-amide and dimeric hydrogen-bonding motifs seen for neutral polymorphs and cocrystalline species are replaced here by one-dimensional polymeric constructs with no direct amide-to-amide bonds. The structures are also compared with, and shown to be closely related to, those of the salt forms of the structurally similar pharmaceutical carbamazepine.

Glutamine plays an important role in several neurodegenerative diseases including Huntington's disease (HD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). An intriguing aspect of the structure of glutamine is its incorporation of an amide group in its side chain, thereby opening up the possibility of forming amide-amide H-bonds between the peptide backbone and side chain. In this study the conformational preferences of two capped gluatamines Z(carboxybenzyl)-Glutamine-X (X=OH, NHMe) are studied under jet-cooled conditions in the gas phase in order to unlock the intrinsic structural motifs that are favored by this flexible sidechain. Conformational assignments are made by comparing the hydride stretch ( 3100-3700 cm-1) and amide I and II ( 1400-1800 cm-1) resonant ion-dip infrared spectra with predictions from harmonic frequency calculations. Assigned structures will be compared to previously published results on both natural and unnatural residues. Particular emphasis will be placed on the comparison between glutamine and unconstrained γ-peptides due to the similar three-carbon spacing between backbone and side chain in glutamine to the backbone spacing in γ-peptides. The ability of the glutamine side-chain to form amide stacked conformations will be a main focus, along with the prevalence of extended backbone type structures. W. H. James, III, C W. Müller, E. G. Buchanan, M. G. D. Nix, L. Guo, L. Roskop, M. S. Gordon, L. V. Slipchenko, S. H. Gellman, and T. S. Zwier, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131(40), 14243-14245.

Previous work has determined that fusaric acid is required for virulence in the Australian isolate of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (Fov), which produce copious amounts of fusaric acid. Race 4 isolates, identified in the San Joaquin Valley of California, has caused serious losses and is a p...

The convolvulacea Argyreia nervosa (Burm. f.) is well known as an important medical plant in the traditional Ayurvedic system of medicine and it is used in numerous diseases (e.g. nervousness, bronchitis, tuberculosis, arthritis, and diabetes). Additionally, in the Indian state of Assam and in other regions Argyreia nervosa is part of the traditional tribal medicine (e.g. the Santali people, the Lodhas, and others). In the western hemisphere, Argyreia nervosa has been brought in attention as so called "legal high". In this context, the seeds are used as source of the psychoactive ergotalkaloid lysergic acidamide (LSA), which is considered as the main active ingredient. As the chemical structure of LSA is very similar to that of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), the seeds of Argyreia nervosa (Burm. f.) are often considered as natural substitute of LSD. In the present study, LSA and LSD have been compared concerning their potential pharmacological profiles based on the receptor binding affinities since our recent human study with four volunteers on p.o. application of Argyreia nervosa seeds has led to some ambiguous effects. In an initial step computer-aided in silico prediction models on receptor binding were employed to screen for serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, muscarine, and histamine receptor subtypes as potential targets for LSA. In addition, this screening was extended to accompany ergotalkaloids of Argyreia nervosa (Burm. f.). In a verification step, selected LSA screening results were confirmed by in vitro binding assays with some extensions to LSD. In the in silico model LSA exhibited the highest affinity with a pKi of about 8.0 at α1A, and α1B. Clear affinity with pKi>7 was predicted for 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT1D, 5-HT6, 5-HT7, and D2. From these receptors the 5-HT1D subtype exhibited the highest pKi with 7.98 in the prediction model. From the other ergotalkaloids, agroclavine and festuclavine also seemed to be highly affine to the 5-HT1D

All 16 stereoisomeric N-methyl 5-(hydroxymethyl)-3,4-dihydroxyproline amides have been synthesized from lactones accessible from the enantiomers of glucuronolactone. Nine stereoisomers, including all eight with a (3R)-hydroxyl configuration, are low to submicromolar inhibitors of β-N-acetylhexosaminidases. A structural correlation between the proline amides is found with the ADMDP-acetamide analogues bearing an acetamidomethylpyrrolidine motif. The proline amides are generally more potent than their ADMDP-acetamide equivalents. β-N-Acetylhexosaminidase inhibition by an azetidine ADMDP-acetamide analogue is compared to an azetidine carboxylic acidamide. None of the amides are good α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase inhibitors.

Full Text Available Isotocin, a nonapeptide amide, was synthesised on a benzhydryl-resin using the Boc-strategy. Benzyl group was used in the protection of the side-chains of tyrosine, serine and cysteine. Tetralinyl group was used to protect asparagine side-chain. TFMSA-TFA-thioanisole-1,2-ethanedithiol (2:20:2:1 v/v was used on the peptide-resin under different cleavage conditions to obtain isotocin in a one-pot reaction. The cleavage at 40 °C for two hours gave isotocin quantitatively. Isotocin could be isolated in 61% yield.

“Twisted” amides containing non-standard dihedral angles are typically hypersensitive to hydrolysis, a feature that has stringently limited their utility in water. We have synthesized a series of bridged lactams that contain a twisted amide linkage but which exhibit enhanced stability in aqueous environments. Many of these compounds were extracted unchanged from aqueous mixtures ranging from the strongly basic to the strongly acidic. NMR experiments showed that tricyclic lactams undergo reversible hydrolysis at extreme pH ranges, but that a number of compounds in this structure class are indefinitely stable under physiologically relevant pH conditions; one bicyclic example was additionally water-soluble. We examined the effect of structure on the reversibility of amide bond hydrolysis, which we attributed to the transannular nature of the amino acid analogs. These data suggest that medium-bridged lactams of these types should provide useful platforms for studying the behavior of twisted amides in aqueous systems. PMID:19178141

Full Text Available A new phenylethyl alkyl amide, (10R-10-hydroxy-N-phenethyloctadecanamide (1, was isolated from the beetle Ambrostoma quadriimpressum Motschulsky. The structure of the amide was determined by NMR and MS. The absolute configuration of compound 1 was confirmed by an asymmetric total synthesis, which was started from L-glutamic acid. The construction of the aliphatic chain was accomplished by the selective protection of the hydroxy groups and two-time implementation of the Wittig olefination reaction.

Full Text Available ipases are atypical hydrolases: principal characteristics and applications. Due to their kinetic and substrate specificities, triacylglycerol acyl-hydrolases or lipases are atypical enzymes. In function of their microenvironment, lipases are able to act as hydrolases in aqueous solution or as biocatalysts in organic synthesis. As hydrolases, they are responsible of the triglycerids catabolism into fatty acids and glycerol. In many organisms, this reaction plays a major role in the fat and lipid metabolism. In addition, lipases are also able to hydrolyse phospholipids and cholesterol esters. In organic solvent, lipases could catalyse reactions such as esterifications, acidolysis or alcoolysis with enantio-, regio- and chimioselectivity. Lipases form a mixed class of enzyme due to their animal, vegetal or microbial origins. All those properties led to the development of many applications in the food and chemical industries but also in the medical and therapeutic field.

Carboxylic acidsamides (RR'NCOCR''), malonic acidamides (RR'NCOCH 2 CONRR') and substituted malonic acidamides (RR'NCOCHR'' CONRR') are extractants of the actinides ions. They show good prospects for use in the nuclear industry because of their complete incinerability. In addition, their degradation products interfer much more less in the separation processes when compared with organophosphorus extractants. The synthesis and the purification of two typical extractants: N-N-di (2-ethylhexyl) butyramide (C 4 H 9 CHC 2 H 5 CH 2 ) 2 NCOC 3 H 7 and N,N'-dimethyl N,N'-dibutyl 1.3 diamide 2(3-oxa)nonyl propane (C 4 H 9 CH 3 NCO) 2 CHC 2 H 4 OC 6 H 13 are described. The purities, checked by NMR, elemental analysis and potentiometry, were in the range 98 to 99.5%. The yields for monoamides were in the range 70 to 90% and for the diamides 20 to 40%. 3 figs, 3 tabs, 10 refs

We cloned and characterized the epoxide hydrolase gene, EPH1, from Rhodotorula glutinis. The EPH1 open reading frame of 1230 bp was interrupted by nine introns and encoded a polypeptide of 409 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 46.3 kDa. The amino acid sequence was similar to that of

Amides are widespread in biologically active compounds with a broad range of applications in biotechnology, agriculture and medicine. Therefore, as alternative to chemical synthesis the biocatalytic amide synthesis is a very interesting field of research. As usual, Nature can serve as guide in the

Cinnamoylphenethylamines are phenolic amides in which cinnamic acid provides the acid moiety and phenethylamine the amine moiety. Single ion monitoring (SIM) in LC-MS was performed on amaranth leaf extracts. Masses corresponding to sets of regioisomers, including previously reported compounds, were...

Elongation Factor 1 alpha (EF-1 alpha), an important eukaryotic translation factor, transports charged aminoacyl-tRNA from the cytosol to the ribosomes during poly-peptide synthesis. Metabolic radiolabeling with [ 3 H] ethanolamine shows that, in all cells examined, EF-1 alpha is the major radiolabeled protein. Radiolabeled EF-1 alpha has an apparent Mr = 53,000 and a basic isoelectric point. It is cytosolic and does not contain N-linked oligosaccharides. Trypsin digestion of murine EF-1 alpha generated two major [ 3 H]ethanolamine-labeled peptides. Three peptides were sequenced and were identical to two distinct regions of the human EF-1 alpha protein. Blank sequencing cycles coinciding with glutamic acid in the human cDNA-derived sequence were also found to release [ 3 H]ethanolamine, and compositional analysis of these peptides confirmed the presence of glutamic acid. Dansylation analysis demonstrates that the amine group of the ethanolamine is blocked. These results indicate that EF-1 alpha is posttranslationally modified by the covalent attachment of ethanolamine via an amide bond to at least two specific glutamic acid residues (Glu-301 and Glu-374). The hydroxyl group of the attached ethanolamine was shown by mass spectrometry and compositional analysis, to be further modified by the addition of a phosphoglycerol unit. This novel posttranslational modification may represent an important alteration of EF-1 alpha, comparable to the regulatory effects of posttranslational methylation of EF-1 alpha lysine residues

Hydroxynitrile lyases (HNLs) catalyze the cleavage of cyanohydrins to yield hydrocyanic acid (HCN) and the respective carbonyl compound and are key enzymes in the process of cyanogenesis in plants. In organic syntheses, HNLs are used as biocatalysts for the formation of enantiopure cyanohydrins. We determined the structure of the recently identified, R-selective HNL from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtHNL) at a crystallographic resolution of 2.5 Å. The structure exhibits an α/β-hydrolase fold, very similar to the homologous, but S-selective, HNL from Hevea brasiliensis (HbHNL). The similarities also extend to the active sites of these enzymes, with a Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad present in all three cases. In order to elucidate the mode of substrate binding and to understand the unexpected opposite enantioselectivity of AtHNL, complexes of the enzyme with both (R)- and (S)-mandelonitrile were modeled using molecular docking simulations. Compared to the complex of HbHNL with (S)-mandelonitrile, the calculations produced an approximate mirror image binding mode of the substrate with the phenyl rings located at very similar positions, but with the cyano groups pointing in opposite directions. A catalytic mechanism for AtHNL is proposed, in which His236 from the catalytic triad acts as a general base and the emerging negative charge on the cyano group is stabilized by main-chain amide groups and an α-helix dipole very similar to α/β-hydrolases. This mechanistic proposal is additionally supported by mutagenesis studies. PMID:22851196

A protocol for the nickel-catalyzed alkylation of amides was established. The use of alkylboranes as nucleophilic partners allowed the use of mild reaction conditions and compatibility of various functional groups with respect to both coupling partners. The catalytic alkylation proceeded selectively at the amides in the presence of other functional groups as well as other carboxylic acid derived moieties.

A protocol for the nickel-catalyzed alkylation of amides was established. The use of alkylboranes as nucleophilic partners allowed the use of mild reaction conditions and compatibility of various functional groups with respect to both coupling partners. The catalytic alkylation proceeded selectively at the amides in the presence of other functional groups as well as other carboxylic acid derived moieties.

Full Text Available Abstract Background In screening of libraries derived by expression cloning, expression of active proteins in E. coli can be limited by formation of inclusion bodies. In these cases it would be desirable to enrich gene libraries for coding sequences with soluble gene products in E. coli and thus to improve the efficiency of screening. Previously Wilkinson and Harrison showed that solubility can be predicted from amino acid composition (Biotechnology 1991, 9(5:443–448. We have applied this analysis to members of the alpha/beta hydrolase fold family to predict their solubility in E. coli. alpha/beta hydrolases are a highly diverse family with more than 1800 proteins which have been grouped into homologous families and superfamilies. Results The predicted solubility in E. coli depends on hydrolase size, phylogenetic origin of the host organism, the homologous family and the superfamily, to which the hydrolase belongs. In general small hydrolases are predicted to be more soluble than large hydrolases, and eukaryotic hydrolases are predicted to be less soluble in E. coli than prokaryotic ones. However, combining phylogenetic origin and size leads to more complex conclusions. Hydrolases from prokaryotic, fungal and metazoan origin are predicted to be most soluble if they are of small, medium and large size, respectively. We observed large variations of predicted solubility between hydrolases from different homologous families and from different taxa. Conclusion A comprehensive analysis of all alpha/beta hydrolase sequences allows more efficient screenings for new soluble alpha/beta hydrolases by the use of libraries which contain more soluble gene products. Screening of hydrolases from families whose members are hard to express as soluble proteins in E. coli should first be done in coding sequences of organisms from phylogenetic groups with the highest average of predicted solubility for proteins of this family. The tools developed here can be used

This study analyzes the occurrence of bile salt hydrolase in fourteen strains belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium. Deconjugation activity was detected using a plate test, two-step enzymatic reaction and activity staining on a native polyacrylamide gel. Subsequently, bile salt hydrolases from B. pseudocatenulatum and B. longum subsp. suis were purified using a two-step chromatographic procedure. Biochemical characterization of the bile salt hydrolases showed that the purified enzymes hydrolyzed all of the six major human bile salts under the pH and temperature conditions commonly found in the human gastrointestinal tract. Next, the dynamic rheometry was applied to monitor the gelation process of deoxycholic acid under different conditions. The results showed that bile acids displayed aqueous media gelating properties. Finally, gel-forming abilities of bifidobacteria exhibiting bile salt hydrolase activity were analyzed. Our investigations have demonstrated that the release of deconjugated bile acids led to the gelation phenomenon of the enzymatic reaction solution containing purified BSH. The presented results suggest that bile salt hydrolase activity commonly found among intestinal microbiota increases hydrogel-forming abilities of certain bile salts. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that bile salt hydrolase activity among Bifidobacterium is directly connected with the gelation process of bile salts. In our opinion, if such a phenomenon occurs in physiological conditions of human gut, it may improve bacterial ability to colonize the gastrointestinal tract and their survival in this specific ecological niche.

Peptide C-terminal N-alkyl amides have gained more attention over the past decade due to their biological properties, including improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. However, the synthesis of this type of peptide on solid phase by current available methods can be challenging. Here we report a convenient method to synthesize peptide C-terminal N-alkyl amides using the well-known Fukuyama N-alkylation reaction on a standard resin commonly used for the synthesis of peptide C-terminal primary amides, the PAL-PEG-PS (Peptide Amide Linker-polyethylene glycol-polystyrene) resin. The alkylation and oNBS deprotection were conducted under basic conditions and were therefore compatible with this acid labile resin. The alkylation reaction was very efficient on this resin with a number of different alkyl iodides or bromides, and the synthesis of model enkephalin N-alkyl amide analogs using this method gave consistently high yields and purities, demonstrating the applicability of this methodology. The synthesis of N-alkyl amides was more difficult on a Rink amide resin, especially the coupling of the first amino acid to the N-alkyl amine, resulting in lower yields for loading the first amino acid onto the resin. This method can be widely applied in the synthesis of peptide N-alkyl amides. PMID:22252422

XGH (xylogalacturonan hydrolase; GH 28) is an enzyme that is capable of degrading XGA (xylogalacturonan), which is a polymer of ¿-D-galacturonic acid, highly substituted with ß-D-xylose. XGA is present in cell walls of various plants and exudates, such as gum tragacanth. XGA oligosaccharides were

The Passerini multicomponent reaction (P-3CR) toward the one-step synthesis of α-aminoxy-amide, by employing for the first time a N-hydroxamic acid component, has been reported. The sonication-accelerated, catalyst-free, simple, fast, and highly efficient Passerini reaction is used for the synthesis

The Ugi four-component reaction (U-4CR) with N-hydroxyimides as a novel carboxylic acid isostere has been reported. This reaction provides straightforward access to α-hydrazino amides. A broad range of aldehydes, amines, isocyanides and N-hydroxyimides were employed to give products in moderate to

Full Text Available AIMS: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS is a functional gastrointestinal (GI disorder, associated with alterations of bowel function, abdominal pain and other symptoms related to the GI tract. Recently the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS was shown to be involved in the physiological and pathophysiological control of the GI function. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether IBS defining symptoms correlate with changes in endocannabinoids or cannabinoid like fatty acid levels in IBS patients. METHODS: AEA, 2-AG, OEA and PEA plasma levels were determined in diarrhoea-predominant (IBS-D and constipation-predominant (IBS-C patients and were compared to healthy subjects, following the establishment of correlations between biolipid contents and disease symptoms. FAAH mRNA levels were evaluated in colonic biopsies from IBS-D and IBS-C patients and matched controls. RESULTS: Patients with IBS-D had higher levels of 2AG and lower levels of OEA and PEA. In contrast, patients with IBS-C had higher levels of OEA. Multivariate analysis found that lower PEA levels are associated with cramping abdominal pain. FAAH mRNA levels were lower in patients with IBS-C. CONCLUSION: IBS subtypes and their symptoms show distinct alterations of endocannabinoid and endocannabinoid-like fatty acid levels. These changes may partially result from reduced FAAH expression. The here reported changes support the notion that the ECS is involved in the pathophysiology of IBS and the development of IBS symptoms.

Poly(ether ester amide) (PEEA) copolymers based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), 1,4-butanediol and dimethyl-7,12-diaza-6,13-dione-1,18-octadecanedioate were evaluated as scaffold materials for tissue engineering. A PEEA copolymer based on PEG with a molecular weight of 300 g/mol and 25 wt% of soft

Full Text Available Abstract. Hydrocolloids, especially polysaccharides from traditional plant sources and their derivatives possessed significant emulsifying properties. Pectin was isolated from celery tubers by accelerated “green” method for extraction based on ultrasonic irradiation. Further chemical modification of celery pectin was performed with 4 mol/L NH The amidated celery pectin was obtained with the following characteristics: the degree of esterification (DE 31%, the degree of 3. amidation (DA 16%, degree of acetylation (DAc 2% and anhydrouronic acid content (AUAC 68%. This modified pectin was incorporated in preparation of model 30, 40 and 50% oil-in-water emulsions. The effect of amidation of celery pectin on the stability of emulsions was investigated. The results showed that amidation increased the emulsifying properties of pectic polysaccharides. It affected also the rheological characteristics of model emulsion. The current study demonstrated preparation of emulsion with low-caloric amidated pectin as proper alternative to the traditional emulsifiers.

Chk2 is a checkpoint kinase involved in the ataxia telangiectasia mutated pathway, which is activated by genomic instability and DNA damage, leading to either cell death (apoptosis) or cell cycle arrest. Chk2 provides an unexplored therapeutic target against cancer cells. We recently reported 4,4'-diacetyldiphenylurea-bis(guanylhydrazone) (NSC 109555) as a novel chemotype Chk2 inhibitor. We have now synthesized a derivative of NSC 109555, PV1019 (NSC 744039) [7-nitro-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid {l_brace}4-[1-(guanidinohydrazone)-ethyl]-phenyl{r_brace}-amide], which is a selective submicromolar inhibitor of Chk2 in vitro. The cocrystal structure of PV1019 bound in the ATP binding pocket of Chk2 confirmed enzymatic/biochemical observations that PV1019 acts as a competitive inhibitor of Chk2 with respect to ATP. PV1019 was found to inhibit Chk2 in cells. It inhibits Chk2 autophosphorylation (which represents the cellular kinase activation of Chk2), Cdc25C phosphorylation, and HDMX degradation in response to DNA damage. PV1019 also protects normal mouse thymocytes against ionizing radiation-induced apoptosis, and it shows synergistic antiproliferative activity with topotecan, camptothecin, and radiation in human tumor cell lines. We also show that PV1019 and Chk2 small interfering RNAs can exert antiproliferative activity themselves in the cancer cells with high Chk2 expression in the NCI-60 screen. These data indicate that PV1019 is a potent and selective inhibitor of Chk2 with chemotherapeutic and radiosensitization potential.

The exchange broadening of backbone amide proton resonances of a 23-mer fusion peptide of the transmembrane subunit of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp41, gp41-FP, was investigated at pH 5 and 7 at room temperature in perdeuterated sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micellar solution. Comparison of resonance peaks for these pHs revealed an insignificant change in exchange rate between pH 5 and 7 for amide protons of residues 4 through 14, while the exchange rate increase at neutral pH was more prominent for amide protons of the remaining residues, with peaks from some protons becoming undetectable. The relative insensitivity to pH of the exchange for the amide protons of residues 4 through 14 is attributable to the drastic reduction in [OH-] in the micellar interior, leading to a decreased exchange rate. The A15-G16 segment represents a transition between these two regimes. The data are thus consistent with the notion that the peptide inserts into the hydrophobic core of a membrane-like structure and the A15-G16 dipeptide is located at the micellar-aqueous boundary

Normal human pituitaries were extracted in boiling water and acetic acid, and the alpha-amidated peptide products of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha MSH), gamma-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (gamma 1MSH), and amidated hinge peptide (HP-N), as well...... (ACTH)-(1-39), ACTH-(1-14) and alpha MSH immunoreactivity]. alpha MSH and ACTH-(1-14) were only present in non- or mono-acetylated forms. Only large forms of gamma 1MSH and gamma 2MSH were present in partly glycosylated states. The hinge peptides were amidated to an extent two to three orders...... amidated POMC-related peptides are present in normal human pituitary. It also shows that cleavage in vivo at all dibasic amino acids but one, takes place at the N-terminal POMC region; the exception is at the POMC-(49-50) N-terminal of the gamma MSH sequence. The pattern of peptides produced suggests...

Cholesterol ester hydrolase (CEH) in adrenocortical cytosol was known to be phosphorylated and activated, in response to ACTH in a cAMPdependent protein kinase mediated process. The purification of CEH from bovine adrenocortical cytosol was attempted. The use of detergents to solubilise the enzyme from lipid-rich aggregates was investigated and sodium cholate was found to be effective. A purification procedure using cholate solubilised enzyme was developed. The detergent int...

The present invention relates to nucleic acid enzymes or enzymatic RNA molecules that are capable of cleaving a variety of bonds, including phosphodiester bonds and amide bonds, in a variety of substrates. Thus, the disclosed enzymatic RNA molecules are capable of functioning as nucleases and/or peptidases. The present invention also relates to compositions containing the disclosed enzymatic RNA molecule and to methods of making, selecting, and using such enzymes and compositions.

Full Text Available Cytochrome P450 (CYP epoxygenases metabolize arachidonic acid into epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs, which play an important role in blood pressure regulation, protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury, angiogenesis, and inflammation. Epoxide hydrolases metabolize EETs to their corresponding diols (dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids; DHETs which are biologically less active. Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX1, mEH and soluble epoxide hydrolase (EPHX2, sEH were identified >30 years ago and are capable of hydrolyzing EETs to DHETs. A novel epoxide hydrolase, EPHX3, was recently identified by sequence homology and also exhibits epoxide hydrolase activity in vitro with a substrate preference for 9,10-epoxyoctadecamonoenoic acid (EpOME and 11,12-EET. EPHX3 is highly expressed in the skin, lung, stomach, esophagus, and tongue; however, its endogenous function is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the impact of genetic disruption of Ephx3 on fatty acid epoxide hydrolysis and EET-related physiology in mice. Ephx3-/- mice were generated by excising the promoter and first four exons of the Ephx3 gene using Cre-LoxP methodology. LC-MS/MS analysis of Ephx3-/- heart, lung, and skin lysates revealed no differences in endogenous epoxide:diol ratios compared to wild type (WT. Ephx3-/- mice also exhibited no change in plasma levels of fatty acid epoxides and diols relative to WT. Incubations of cytosolic and microsomal fractions prepared from Ephx3-/- and WT stomach, lung, and skin with synthetic 8,9-EET, 11,12-EET, and 9,10-EpOME revealed no significant differences in rates of fatty acid diol formation between the genotypes. Ephx3-/- hearts had similar functional recovery compared to WT hearts following ischemia/reperfusion injury. Following intranasal lipopolysaccharide (LPS exposure, Ephx3-/- mice were not different from WT in terms of lung histology, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell counts, or fatty acid epoxide and diol levels. We conclude that genetic

We describe a new enzymatic functionality for the surface layer (S-layer) of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356, namely, an endopeptidase activity against the cell wall of Salmonella enterica serovar Newport, assayed via zymograms and identified by Western blotting. Based on amino acid sequence comparisons, the hydrolase activity was predicted to be located at the C terminus. Subsequent cloning and expression of the C-terminal domain in Bacillus subtilis resulted in the functional verificati...

A novel method for the synthesis of molecular probe of ubiquinone-binding protein is described. With 3-nitrosalicylic acid and decylamine as initial compounds and under the existence of DCC, the 3-nitro-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide is synthesized at room temperature. Then, 3-nitro-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide is reduced by hydrogen with 5 % Pd/C as catalyst to form 3-amino-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide which is exchanged with tritium to be 3 H-3-amino-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide. At the temperature below 5 degree C, 3 H-3-amino-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide reacts with NaNO 2 and HCl, and the 3-diazo-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide is formed in an ice salt bath. As soon as the reaction is completed, NaN 3 is added to the mixture and stirred for 3 h at the temperature between 0 - 5 degree C and in the dark, the molecular probe of studying ubiquinone-binding protein, i. e., 3 H-3-azido-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide is produced

The crystal structure of the protein product of the C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824 gene CA-C0359 is structurally similar to YteR, an unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase from B. subtilis strain 168. Substrate modeling and electrostatic studies of the active site of the structure of CA-C0359 suggests that the protein can now be considered to be part of CAZy glycoside hydrolase family 105. Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 gene CA-C0359 encodes a putative unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase (URH) with distant amino-acid sequence homology to YteR of Bacillus subtilis strain 168. YteR, like other URHs, has core structural homology to unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolases, but hydrolyzes the unsaturated disaccharide derivative of rhamnogalacturonan I. The crystal structure of the recombinant CA-C0359 protein was solved to 1.6 Å resolution by molecular replacement using the phase information of the previously reported structure of YteR (PDB entry (http://scripts.iucr.org/cgi-bin/cr.cgi?rm)) from Bacillus subtilis strain 168. The YteR-like protein is a six-α-hairpin barrel with two β-sheet strands and a small helix overlaying the end of the hairpins next to the active site. The protein has low primary protein sequence identity to YteR but is structurally similar. The two tertiary structures align with a root-mean-square deviation of 1.4 Å and contain a highly conserved active pocket. There is a conserved aspartic acid residue in both structures, which has been shown to be important for hydration of the C=C bond during the release of unsaturated galacturonic acid by YteR. A surface electrostatic potential comparison of CA-C0359 and proteins from CAZy families GH88 and GH105 reveals the make-up of the active site to be a combination of the unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase and the unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolase from Bacillus subtilis strain 168. Structural and electrostatic comparisons suggests that the protein may have a slightly different substrate

The crystal structure of the protein product of the C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824 gene CA-C0359 is structurally similar to YteR, an unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase from B. subtilis strain 168. Substrate modeling and electrostatic studies of the active site of the structure of CA-C0359 suggests that the protein can now be considered to be part of CAZy glycoside hydrolase family 105. Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 gene CA-C0359 encodes a putative unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase (URH) with distant amino-acid sequence homology to YteR of Bacillus subtilis strain 168. YteR, like other URHs, has core structural homology to unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolases, but hydrolyzes the unsaturated disaccharide derivative of rhamnogalacturonan I. The crystal structure of the recombinant CA-C0359 protein was solved to 1.6 Å resolution by molecular replacement using the phase information of the previously reported structure of YteR (PDB entry (http://scripts.iucr.org/cgi-bin/cr.cgi?rm)) from Bacillus subtilis strain 168. The YteR-like protein is a six-α-hairpin barrel with two β-sheet strands and a small helix overlaying the end of the hairpins next to the active site. The protein has low primary protein sequence identity to YteR but is structurally similar. The two tertiary structures align with a root-mean-square deviation of 1.4 Å and contain a highly conserved active pocket. There is a conserved aspartic acid residue in both structures, which has been shown to be important for hydration of the C=C bond during the release of unsaturated galacturonic acid by YteR. A surface electrostatic potential comparison of CA-C0359 and proteins from CAZy families GH88 and GH105 reveals the make-up of the active site to be a combination of the unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase and the unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolase from Bacillus subtilis strain 168. Structural and electrostatic comparisons suggests that the protein may have a slightly different substrate

Full Text Available Wolbachia endobacteria are obligate intracellular bacteria with a highly reduced genome infecting many arthropod and filarial species, in which they manipulate arthropod reproduction to increase their transmission and are essential for nematode development and survival. The Wolbachia genome encodes all enzymes required for the synthesis of the cell wall building block lipid II, although a peptidoglycan-like structure has not been detected. Despite the ability to synthesize lipid II, Wolbachia from arthropods and nematodes have only a subset of genes encoding enzymes involved in the periplasmic processing of lipid II and peptidoglycan recycling, with arthropods having two more than nematodes. We functionally analyzed the activity of the putative cell wall hydrolaseAmiD from the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Drosophila melanogaster, an enzyme not encoded by the nematode endobacteria. Wolbachia AmiD has Zn2+-dependent amidase activity and cleaves intact peptidoglycan, monomeric lipid II and anhydromuropeptides, substrates that are generated during bacterial growth. AmiD may have been maintained in arthropod Wolbachia to avoid host immune recognition by degrading cell wall fragments in the periplasm. This is the first description of a wolbachial lipid II processing enzyme putatively expressed in the periplasm.

Objective Use of bleomycin as a cytotoxic agent is limited by its pulmonary toxicity. Bleomycin is mainly excreted by the kidneys, but can also be inactivated by bleomycin hydrolase (BMH). An 1450A > G polymorphic site in the BMH gene results in an amino acid substitution in the C-terminal domain of

Bile salt hydrolase (BSH) is a gut-bacterial enzyme that negatively influences host fat digestion and energy harvesting. The BSH enzyme activity functions as a gateway reaction in the small intestine by the deconjugation of glycine-conjugated or taurine-conjugated bile acids. Extensive gut-microbiota studies have suggested that BSH is a key mechanistic microbiome target for the development of novel non-antibiotic food additives to improve animal feed production and for the design of new measures to control obesity in humans. However, research on BSH is still in its infancy, particularly in terms of the structural basis of BSH function, which has hampered the development of BSH-based strategies for improving human and animal health. As an initial step towards the structure-function analysis of BSH, C-terminally His-tagged BSH from Lactobacillus salivarius NRRL B-30514 was crystallized in this study. The 1.90 Å resolution crystal structure of L. salivarius BSH was determined by molecular replacement using the structure of Clostridium perfringens BSH as a starting model. It revealed this BSH to be a member of the N-terminal nucleophile hydrolase superfamily. Crystals of apo BSH belonged to space group P21212, with unit-cell parameters a = 90.79, b = 87.35, c = 86.76 Å (PDB entry 5hke). Two BSH molecules packed perfectly as a dimer in one asymmetric unit. Comparative structural analysis of L. salivarius BSH also identified potential residues that contribute to catalysis and substrate specificity.

Acidolytic release of an amide from a solid support by C-N bond cleavage is all ubiquitous and crucial step in many solid-phase syntheses. We have used molecular modeling of a pseudo-equilibrium to explore substituent and steric effects in the release of peptides. The high acid-lability of the ba......Acidolytic release of an amide from a solid support by C-N bond cleavage is all ubiquitous and crucial step in many solid-phase syntheses. We have used molecular modeling of a pseudo-equilibrium to explore substituent and steric effects in the release of peptides. The high acid......-lability of the backbone amide linkage (BAL), which releases sec. amides, compared to C-terminal amide anchoring, which releases primary amides, was rationalized by steric relief upon cleavage. Thus, the relative stability of the carbenium ion formed from the linker in the acidolytic release is an insufficient measure...

The influence of arylthiols on cysteine-free ligation, i.e. the reaction between an alkyl thioester and a primary amine forming an amide bond, was studied in a polar aprotic solvent. We reacted the ethylthioester of hippuric acid with cyclohexylamine in the absence or presence of various quantities...... of thiophenol (PhSH) in a slurry of disodium hydrogen phosphate in dry DMF. Quantitative conversions into the resulting amide were observed within a few hours in the presence of equimolar amounts of thiophenol. Ab initio calculations showed that the reaction mechanism in DMF is similar to the well-known aqueous...... reaction mechanism. The energy barrier of the catalyzed amidation reaction is approximately 40 kJ mol(-1) lower than the non-catalyzed amidation reaction. At least partially this can be explained by a hydrogen bond from the amine to the π-electrons of the thiophenol, stabilizing the transition state...

Post-harvest storage of chicory and Jerusalem artichoke and overwintering of Jerusalem artichoke in the soil cause a more or less pronounced shortening of the fructan chain, depending on the variety. The proportion of fructose in the total fructan thus shifts towards glucose. This reduction on the fructose/glucose ratio is undesirable if the intention is to obtain a sweetener of high fructose content. In this work an attempt was made, via the quantity of fructose formed after a 4(3)-hour reaction of a tuber (root) extract with inulin, to assign a characteristic value to the depolymerization tendency of the material in question. However, since the plant extract not only contains enzymes (hydrolase A and B) that shorten the fructan chains but the activity of fructosyltransferase (SST, FFT) and enzymes of microbial origin (inulinase II, invertase) must also be considered, the concept of 'hydrolase activity' used by the authors is essentially an expression of 'total activity'. The activity unit (EU) is defined as the ability to split of 1 ..mu..mol of fructose from (chicory) inulin per minute under experimental conditions. Values of 0.25 to 0.77 EU/g dry solids were found in Jerusalem artichoke. Considerable differences may occur between varieties from the same cultivated area and the same harvest period. With one and the same variety, the activity appears to be subject to marked yearly fluctuations, so that at present, because of hydrolase activity, nothing certain can be said about the depolymerization tendency of a variety.

Extraction and purification of actinides from different matrices is of utmost importance to the nuclear industry. In recent decades, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) has emerged as a promising alternative to solvent extraction owing to its inherent potential of minimization of liquid waste generation. N,N-dialkyl aliphatic amides have been proposed to be an alternative to TBP in the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel due to several attractive features like innocuous nature of degradation products (mainly carboxylic acids/ amines), possibility of complete incineration of the used extractant leading to reduction in volume of secondary waste. Also, physico-chemical properties of this class of extractants can be tuned by the judicious choice of alkyl groups. In the present work, N,N-dialkyl aliphatic amides with varying alkyl groups viz. N,N-dibutyl-2-ethylhexanamide (DBEHA), N,N-dibutyl-3,3-dimethylbutanamide (DBDMBA), N,N-dihexyloctanamide (DHOA), N,N-disecbutylpentamide (DBPA), N,N-dibutyloctanamide (DBOA), have been evaluated for supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of uranium and thorium from nitric acid medium as well as tissue paper matrix. Amides were obtained from Department of Chemistry, Delhi University and were used as such. This fact could be exploited for separation of thorium and uranium

A family of endogenous lipids, structurally analogous to the endogenous cannabinoid, N-arachidonoyl ethanolamine (Anandamide), and called N-acyl amides have emerged as a family of biologically active compounds at TRP receptors. N-acyl amides are constructed from an acyl group and an amine via an amide bond. This same structure can be modified by changing either the fatty acid or the amide to form potentially hundreds of lipids. More than 70 N-acyl amides have been identified in nature. We have ongoing studies aimed at isolating and characterizing additional members of the family of N-acyl amides in both central and peripheral tissues in mammalian systems. Here, using a unique in-house library of over 70 N-acyl amides we tested the following three hypotheses: (1) Additional N-acyl amides will have activity at TRPV1-4, (2) Acute peripheral injury will drive changes in CNS levels of N-acyl amides, and (3) N-acyl amides will regulate calcium in CNS-derived microglia. Through these studies, we have identified 20 novel N-acyl amides that collectively activate (stimulating or inhibiting) TRPV1-4. Using lipid extraction and HPLC coupled to tandem mass spectrometry we showed that levels of at least 10 of these N-acyl amides that activate TRPVs are regulated in brain after intraplantar carrageenan injection. We then screened the BV2 microglial cell line for activity with this N-acyl amide library and found overlap with TRPV receptor activity as well as additional activators of calcium mobilization from these lipids. Together these data provide new insight into the family of N-acyl amides and their roles as signaling molecules at ion channels, in microglia, and in the brain in the context of inflammation. PMID:25136293

Since the seminal studies by Pauling in 1930s, planarity has become the defining characteristic of the amide bond. Planarity of amides has central implications for the reactivity and chemical properties of amides of relevance to a range of chemical disciplines. While the vast majority of amides are planar, nonplanarity has a profound effect on the properties of the amide bond, with the most common method to restrict the amide bond relying on the incorporation of the amide function into a rigid cyclic ring system. In a major departure from this concept, here, we report the first class of acyclic twisted amides that can be prepared, reversibly, from common primary amides in a single, operationally trivial step. Di-tert-butoxycarbonylation of the amide nitrogen atom yields twisted amides in which the amide bond exhibits nearly perpendicular twist. Full structural characterization of a range of electronically diverse compounds from this new class of twisted amides is reported. Through reactivity studies we demonstrate unusual properties of the amide bond, wherein selective cleavage of the amide bond can be achieved by a judicious choice of the reaction conditions. Through computational studies we evaluate structural and energetic details pertaining to the amide bond deformation. The ability to selectively twist common primary amides, in a reversible manner, has important implications for the design and application of the amide bond nonplanarity in structural chemistry, biochemistry and organic synthesis.

Full Text Available We previously produced tannin acyl hydrolase (tannase from Aspergillus niger isolated from cacao pod. In the present study the enzyme was subjected to fractionation by ammonium sulphate followed by dialysis process. The saturation level of ammonium sulphate used was 30-80% where the best enzyme activity was obtained at the saturation level of 60%. Compared to that of crude enzyme, specific activity of tannase after dialysis was four folds. Characterization results showed that optimum activity was at 35-50 oC and pH 6. Tannase was activated by K+ and Na+ at concentration of 0.01 and 0.05 M respectively. Mg2+ was found activate tannase only at 0.01 M. Addition of metal ions like Zn2+, Cu2+, Ca2+, Mn2+ and Fe2+ inhibited the enzyme activity. Kinetics analysis of various substrates tested showed that the Km value of tannic acid and gallotannin was 0.401 and 6.611 mM respectively. Vmax value of tannic acid was 10.804 U/ml and of gallotannin was 12.406 U/ml. Based on Michaelis-Menten constant (Km, the tannase obtained in the present study was more active in hydrolysing depside bonds rather than ester bonds.

Full Text Available We previously produced tannin acyl hydrolase (tannase from Aspergillus niger isolated from cacao pod. In the present study the enzyme was subjected to fractionation by ammonium sulphate followed by dialysis process. The saturation level of ammonium sulphate used was 30–80% where the best enzyme activity was obtained at the saturation level of 60%. Compared to that of crude enzyme, specific activity of tannase after dialysis was four folds. Characterization results showed that optimum activity was at 35–50 °C and pH 6. Tannase was activated by K+ and Na+ at concentration of 0.01 and 0.05 M respectively. Mg2+ was found activate tannase only at 0.01 M. Addition of metal ions like Zn2+, Cu2+, Ca2+, Mn2+ and Fe2+ inhibited the enzyme activity. Kinetics analysis of various substrates tested showed that the Km value of tannic acid and gallotannin was 0.401 and 6.611 mM respectively. Vmax value of tannic acid was 10.804 U/ml and of gallotannin was 12.406 U/ml. Based on Michaelis-Menten constant (Km, the tannase obtained in the present study was more active in hydrolysing depside bonds rather than ester bonds.

In nuclear fuel reprocessing, technetium (TcO 4 - ) leads to bad interferences in the extractions, being synergistically co-extracted with different actinide cations as Uranium (VI), Plutonium (IV) and Zirconium (IV). It destroys the hydrazine in the reductive partition of U and Pu, it decreases the decontamination of U and Pu from fission products. Thus, its extraction behaviour with new extractants as N,N-diakylamides is useful to be known. TcO 4 - extraction in nitric acid media is compared for TBP and different amides. The influence of nitric acidity is related to the amides formula

A set of layered ester and amide derivatives of titanium(IV) carboxymethylphosphonate was prepared by solvothermal treatment of amorphous titanium(IV) carboxymethylphosphonate with corresponding 1-alkanols, 1,ω-alkanediols, 1-aminoalkanes, 1,ω-diaminoalkanes and 1,ω-amino alcohols and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Whereas alkyl chains with one functional group form bilayers tilted to the layers, 1,ω-diaminoalkanes and most of 1,ω-alkanediols form bridges connecting the adjacent layers. In the case of amino alcohols, the alkyl chains form bilayer and either hydroxyl or amino group is used for bonding. This simple method for the synthesis of ester and amide derivatives does not require preparation of acid chloride derivative as a precursor or pre-intercalation with alkylamines and can be used also for the preparation of ester and amide derivatives of titanium carboxyethylphosphonate and zirconium carboxymethylphosphonate. - Graphical abstract: Ester and amide derivatives of layered titanium carboxymethylphosphonate were prepared by solvothermal treatment of amorphous solid with alkanol or alkylamine. - Highlights: • Ester and amide derivatives of titanium carboxymethylphosphonate. • Solvothermal treatment of amorphous solid with alkanol or alkylamine. • Ester and amide formation confirmed by IR spectroscopy

Full Text Available Across many environments microbial glycoside hydrolases support the enzymatic processing of carbohydrates, a critical function in many ecosystems. Little is known about how the microbial composition of a community and the potential for carbohydrate processing relate to each other. Here, using 1,934 metagenomic datasets, we linked changes in community composition to variation of potential for carbohydrate processing across environments. We were able to show that each ecosystem-type displays a specific potential for carbohydrate utilization. Most of this potential was associated with just 77 bacterial genera. The GH content in bacterial genera is best described by their taxonomic affiliation. Across metagenomes, fluctuations of the microbial community structure and GH potential for carbohydrate utilization were correlated. Our analysis reveals that both deterministic and stochastic processes contribute to the assembly of complex microbial communities.

The first palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of amides with boronic acids for the synthesis of ketones by sterically-controlled N-C bond activation is reported. The transformation is characterized by operational simplicity using bench-stable, commercial reagents and catalysts, and a broad substrate scope, including substrates with electron-donating and withdrawing groups on both coupling partners, steric-hindrance, heterocycles, halides, esters and ketones. The scope and limitations are presented in the synthesis of >60 functionalized ketones. Mechanistic studies provide insight into the catalytic cycle of the cross-coupling, including the first experimental evidence for Pd insertion into the amide N-C bond. The synthetic utility is showcased by a gram-scale cross-coupling and cross-coupling at room temperature. Most importantly, this process provides a blueprint for the development of a plethora of metal catalyzed reactions of typically inert amide bonds via acyl-metal intermediates. A unified strategy for amide bond activation to enable metal insertion into N-C amide bond is outlined ().

Single crystals of recombinant S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase from L. luteus in complex with adenosine diffract X-rays to 1.17 Å resolution at 100 K. The crystals are tetragonal, space group P4 3 2 1 2, and contain one copy of the dimeric enzyme in the asymmetric unit. By degrading S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine, which is a byproduct of S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent methylation reactions, S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase (SAHase) acts as a regulator of cellular methylation processes. S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase from the leguminose plant yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus), LlSAHase, which is composed of 485 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 55 kDa, has been cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Crystals of LlSAHase in complex with adenosine were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using 20%(w/v) PEG 4000 and 10%(v/v) 2-propanol as precipitants in 0.1 M Tris–HCl buffer pH 8.0. The crystals were tetragonal, space group P4 3 2 1 2, with unit-cell parameters a = 122.4, c = 126.5 Å and contained two protein molecules in the asymmetric unit, corresponding to the functional dimeric form of the enzyme. Atomic resolution (1.17 Å) X-ray diffraction data have been collected using synchrotron radiation

Single crystals of recombinant S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase from L. luteus in complex with adenosine diffract X-rays to 1.17 Å resolution at 100 K. The crystals are tetragonal, space group P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2, and contain one copy of the dimeric enzyme in the asymmetric unit. By degrading S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine, which is a byproduct of S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent methylation reactions, S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase (SAHase) acts as a regulator of cellular methylation processes. S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase from the leguminose plant yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus), LlSAHase, which is composed of 485 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 55 kDa, has been cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Crystals of LlSAHase in complex with adenosine were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using 20%(w/v) PEG 4000 and 10%(v/v) 2-propanol as precipitants in 0.1 M Tris–HCl buffer pH 8.0. The crystals were tetragonal, space group P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2, with unit-cell parameters a = 122.4, c = 126.5 Å and contained two protein molecules in the asymmetric unit, corresponding to the functional dimeric form of the enzyme. Atomic resolution (1.17 Å) X-ray diffraction data have been collected using synchrotron radiation.

Structure-based virtual screening was applied to design combinatorial libraries to discover novel and potent soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors. X-ray crystal structures revealed unique interactions for a benzoxazole template in addition to the conserved hydrogen bonds with the catalytic machinery of sEH. By exploitation of the favorable binding elements, two iterations of library design based on amide coupling were employed, guided principally by the docking results of the enumerated virtual products. Biological screening of the libraries demonstrated as high as 90% hit rate, of which over two dozen compounds were single digit nanomolar sEH inhibitors by IC(50) determination. In total the library design and synthesis produced more than 300 submicromolar sEH inhibitors. In cellular systems consistent activities were demonstrated with biochemical measurements. The SAR understanding of the benzoxazole template provides valuable insights into discovery of novel sEH inhibitors as therapeutic agents.

Low density composites of sodium montmorillonite and poly(amide-imide) polymers have been created using an ice templating method, which serves as an alternative to the often-difficult foaming of high temperature/high performance polymers. The starting polymer was received in the poly(amic acid) form which can be cured using heat, into a water insoluble amide-imide copolymer. The resulting materials have densities in the 0.05 g/cm³ range and have excellent mechanical properties. Using a tertiary amine as a processing aid provides for lower viscosity and allows more concentrated polymer solutions to be used. The concentration of the amine relative to the acid groups on the polymer backbone has been found to cause significant difference in the mechanical properties of the dried materials. The synthesis and characterization of low density versions of two poly(amide-imide) polymers and their composites with sodium montmorillonite clay are discussed in the present work.

Polydentate ligands (6-R1-2-pyridylmethyl)-R2(R1= NHCOtBu, R2= bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine L1, bis(2-(methylthio)ethyl)amine L2 and N(CH2CH2)2S L3) form mononuclear zinc(II) complexes with intramolecular amide oxygen coordination and a range of coordination environments. Thus, the reaction of Zn(ClO4)2.6H2O with L1-3 in acetonitrile affords [(L)Zn](ClO4)2(L=L1, 1; L2, 2) and [(L3)Zn(H2O)(NCCH3)](ClO4)2 3. The simultaneous amide/water binding in resembles the motif that has been proposed to be involved in the double substrate/nucleophile Lewis acidic activation and positioning mechanism of amide bond hydrolysis in metallopeptidases. X-ray diffraction, 1H and 13C NMR and IR data suggests that the strength of amide oxygen coordination follows the trend 1>2 >3. L1-3 and undergo cleavage of the tert-butylamide upon addition of Me4NOH.5H2O (1 equiv.) in methanol at 50(1)degrees C. The rate of amide cleavage follows the order 1> 2> 3, L1-3. The extent by which the amide cleavage reaction is accelerated in 1-3 relative to the free ligands, L1-3, is correlated with the strength of amide oxygen binding and Lewis acidity of the zinc(II) centre in deduced from the X-ray, NMR and IR studies.

Amide hydrogen exchange (HX) is widely used in protein biophysics even though our ignorance about the HX mechanism makes data interpretation imprecise. Notably, the open exchange-competent conformational state has not been identified. Based on analysis of an ultralong molecular dynamics trajectory of the protein BPTI, we propose that the open (O) states for amides that exchange by subglobal fluctuations are locally distorted conformations with two water molecules directly coordinated to the N-H group. The HX protection factors computed from the relative O-state populations agree well with experiment. The O states of different amides show little or no temporal correlation, even if adjacent residues unfold cooperatively. The mean residence time of the O state is ∼100 ps for all examined amides, so the large variation in measured HX rate must be attributed to the opening frequency. A few amides gain solvent access via tunnels or pores penetrated by water chains including native internal water molecules, but most amides access solvent by more local structural distortions. In either case, we argue that an overcoordinated N-H group is necessary for efficient proton transfer by Grotthuss-type structural diffusion.

Amide hydrogen exchange (HX) is widely used in protein biophysics even though our ignorance about the HX mechanism makes data interpretation imprecise. Notably, the open exchange-competent conformational state has not been identified. Based on analysis of an ultralong molecular dynamics trajectory of the protein BPTI, we propose that the open (O) states for amides that exchange by subglobal fluctuations are locally distorted conformations with two water molecules directly coordinated to the N–H group. The HX protection factors computed from the relative O-state populations agree well with experiment. The O states of different amides show little or no temporal correlation, even if adjacent residues unfold cooperatively. The mean residence time of the O state is ∼100 ps for all examined amides, so the large variation in measured HX rate must be attributed to the opening frequency. A few amides gain solvent access via tunnels or pores penetrated by water chains including native internal water molecules, but most amides access solvent by more local structural distortions. In either case, we argue that an overcoordinated N–H group is necessary for efficient proton transfer by Grotthuss-type structural diffusion. PMID:26195754

To investigate the mechanisms of ovarian cell differentiation, we raised a new monoclonal antibody, HCL-3, which reacted with human luteal cells. It also reacted with human and porcine hepatocytes. The immunoaffinity-purified HCL-3 antigen from human corpora lutea (CL) was shown to be a 46-kDa protein. The N-terminal 22 amino acids of the 46-kDa protein from porcine liver exhibited high homology (82%) to human microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH). The purified HCL-3 antigen from human CL or porcine liver showed EH enzyme activity, confirming that HCL-3 antigen is identical to mEH, which is reported to detoxify the toxic substrates in the liver. In human follicles, mEH was immunohistochemically detected on granulosa and theca interna cells. In the menstrual and pregnant CL, mEH was also expressed on large and small luteal cells. A competitive inhibitor of EH, 1,2-epoxy-3,3,3-trichloropropane, inhibited the conversion of estradiol from testosterone by granulosa cells cultured in vitro, indicating the involvement of mEH in ovarian estrogen production. Because anticonvulsant sodium valproate and its analogues were reported to inhibit EH enzyme activity, these findings provide a new insight into the etiology of endocrine disorders that are frequently observed among epileptic patients taking anticonvulsant drugs.

Seed storage and cultivation should be necessary to self-supply foods when astronauts would stay and investigate during long-term space travel and habitation in the bases on the Moon and Mars. Thought the sunlight is the most importance to plants, both as the ultimate energy source and as an environmental signal regulating growth and development, UV presenting the sunlight can damage many aspects of plant processes at the physiological and DNA level. Especially UV-C, which is eliminated by the stratospheric ozone layer, is suspected to be extremely harmful and give a deadly injury to plants in space. However, the defense mechanism against UV-C irradiation damage in plant cells has not been clear. In this study, we investigated the expression of Nudix hydrolases, which defense plants from biotic / abiotic stress, in barley under UV irradiation. The genes encoding the amino acid sequences, which show homology to those of 28 kinds of Nudix hydrolases in Arabidopsis thaliana, were identified in the barley full-length cDNA library. BLAST analysis showed 14 kinds of barley genes (HvNUDX1-14), which encode the Nudix motif sequence. A phylogenetic tree showed that HvNUDX1, HvNUDX7, HvNUDX9 and HvNUDX11 belonged to the ADP-ribose pyrophosphohydrolase, ADP-sugar pyrophosphohydrolase, NAD(P)H pyrophosphohydrolase and FAD pyrophosphohydrolase subfamilies, respectively, HvNUDX3, HvNUDX6, and HvNUDX8 belonged to the Ap _{n}A pyrophosphohydrolase subfamilies, HvNUDX5 and HvNUDX14 belonged to the coenzyme A pyrophosphohydrolase subfamilies, HvNUDX12 and HvNUDX13 belonged to the Ap _{4}A pyrophosphohydrolase subfamilies. Induction of HvNUDX genes by UV-A (340nm), UV-B (312nm), and UV-C (260nm) were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. The results showed that HvNUDX4 was induced by UV-A and UV-B, HvNUDX6 was induced by UV-B and UV-C, and HvNUDX7 and HvNUDX14 were induced by UV-C, significantly. Our results suggest that the response of HvNUDXs to UV irradiation is different by UV

Full Text Available Highly efficient method for the preparation of N-tert-butyl amides by reaction of nitriles with tert-butyl acetate is described using polyvinylpolypyrrolidone-supported boron trifluoride (PVPP-BF3 at 70°C in good to excellent yields. Selective amidation of benzonitrile in the presence of acetonitrile was also achieved. polyvinylpolypyrrolidone-boron trifluoride complex shows non-corrosive and stable solid catalyst elevated Lewis acid property.

The removal of surface contamination is a major challenge for nearly all nuclear facilities undergoing, or awaiting, decommissioning. Conventional means of surface decontamination can expose workers to unnecessary hazards, and are often not fit-for-purpose due to size constraints or weight restrictions. Additionally, conventional methods are not always easily deployed remotely due to their complexity or required services. The use of ultra high pressure water for surface decontamination, known as hydrolasing, is recognized as a technology which can be used in various applications requiring surface removal. Hydrolasing is an advantageous technology for many reasons including its versatility, overall simplicity and relative ease of remote deployment. For the nuclear industry, one of the largest challenges with regards to the use of hydrolasing is the requirement for the full recovery of the injected water and removed solids. For nonnuclear applications, there is often no requirement for recovery of the liquid and solid waste, which has led to few system designs which will recover the waste in full. S.A. Robotics' experience with the deployment of ultra high pressure water systems for nuclear applications has shown that full recovery of injected water and removed solids is achievable in both underwater and in-air applications. Innovative equipment and system design have allowed S.A. Robotics' hydrolasing systems to achieve near 100% solid and liquid recovery during concrete hydrolasing. This technology has been deployed for Fluor Hanford at Hanford's K-Basins, as well as for UKAEA as part of the Windscale Piles decommissioning project. The purpose of this paper is to provide a short description of the hydrolasing process and the associated waste issues, describe the unique design features of S.A. Robotics' hydrolasing systems which combat these issues, and provide an overview of two of the hydrolasing projects that S.A. Robotics has completed. (authors)

The present study investigates the effect of metals on the secretion of enzymes from 12 fungal strains maintained in liquid cultures. Hydrolases (acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase, β-galactosidase, and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase) and ligninolytic oxidoreductases (laccase, Mn, and lignin peroxidases) activities, as well as biomass production, were measured in culture fluids from fungi exposed to Cu or Cd. Our results showed that all fungi secreted most of the selected hydrolases and that about 50% of them produced a partial oxidative system in the absence of metals. Then, exposure of fungi to metals led to the decrease in biomass production. At the enzymatic level, Cu and Cd modified the secretion profiles of soil fungi. The response of hydrolases to metals was contrasted and complex and depended on metal, enzyme, and fungal strain considered. By contrast, the metals always stimulated the activity of ligninolytic oxidoreductases in fungal strains. In some of them, oxidoreductases were specifically produced following metal exposure. Fungal oxidoreductases provide a more generic response than hydrolases, constituting thus a physiological basis for their use as biomarkers of metal exposure in soils.

Potassium amide in liquid ammonia is used as a homogeneous catalyst in mono-thermal ammonia-hydrogen isotopic chemical exchange process employed for the manufacture of heavy water. Estimation of concentration of potassium amide in liquid ammonia is vital for checking whether it is sufficient for catalysis in isotopic exchange towers or for purification in purifiers in the Heavy Water Plants. This estimation was carried out earlier by the conventional method involving evaporation of ammonia, decomposition of potassium amide with water and titration of liberated ammonia with sulphuric acid. This method has been replaced by a newly developed method involving direct titration of potassium amide in ammonia with ammonium bromide. This new method is based on the principle that ammonium bromide and potassium amide act as acid and base respectively in the non-aqueous solvent medium, liquid ammonia. This method has not only proved to be an alternative method of estimation of potassium amide in liquid ammonia but also has been serving as a developed analytical method, because it is faster (with fewer steps), more accurate, safer (as it excludes the use of corrosive sulphuric acid needed for the conventional method) and more convenient (as it doesn't need specially designed apparatus and inert gas like dry nitrogen used in the conventional method). (author)

Amide-induced phase separation of hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP)-water mixtures has been investigated to elucidate solvation properties of the mixtures by means of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), (1)H and (13)C NMR, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The amides included N-methylformamide (NMF), N-methylacetamide (NMA), and N-methylpropionamide (NMP). The phase diagrams of amide-HFIP-water ternary systems at 298 K showed that phase separation occurs in a closed-loop area of compositions as well as an N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) system previously reported. The phase separation area becomes wider as the hydrophobicity of amides increases in the order of NMF amides due to the hydrophobic interaction gives rise to phase separation of the mixtures. In contrast, the disruption of HFIP clusters causes the recovery of the homogeneity of the ternary systems. The present results showed that HFIP clusters are evolved with increasing amide content to the lower phase separation concentration in the same mechanism among the four amide systems. However, the disruption of HFIP clusters in the NMP and DMF systems with further increasing amide content to the upper phase separation concentration occurs in a different way from those in the NMF and NMA systems.

SMBA was selected as a bifunctional sulfa drug to design ternary cocrystals with pyridine amides and lactam coformers. Supramolecular assembly of five ternary cocrystals of p-sulfonamide benzoic acid with nicotinamide and 2-pyridone is demonstrated and reproducible heterosynthons are identified for crystal engineering.

Full Text Available Reactions of isonitriles 11a-c with N-(a-aminoalkylbenzotriazoles 10a-k afford N-(a-aminoimidoylbenzotriazoles 12a-q which on hydrolysis by dilute hydrochloric acid gave a-amino amides 14a-j.

A branched-alkyl monoamide which extracts An(VI) exclusively by the steric effect and tridentate diglycol-amide; TODGA, which recovers all actinides and Sr(II) from highly acidic waste solutions, were developed. Then, a new chemical process, ARTIST process, is proposed for the treatment of nuclear spent fuel consolidating plutonium management and the partitioning concept. (author)

Proton detection in solid-state NMR has seen a tremendous increase in popularity in the last years. New experimental techniques allow to exploit protons as an additional source of information on structure, dynamics, and protein interactions with their surroundings. In addition, sensitivity is mostly improved and ambiguity in assignment experiments reduced. We show here that, in the solid state, sequential amide-to-amide correlations turn out to be an excellent, complementary way to exploit amide shifts for unambiguous backbone assignment. For a general assessment, we compare amide-to-amide experiments with the more common {sup 13}C-shift-based methods. Exploiting efficient CP magnetization transfers rather than less efficient INEPT periods, our results suggest that the approach is very feasible for solid-state NMR.

Proton detection in solid-state NMR has seen a tremendous increase in popularity in the last years. New experimental techniques allow to exploit protons as an additional source of information on structure, dynamics, and protein interactions with their surroundings. In addition, sensitivity is mostly improved and ambiguity in assignment experiments reduced. We show here that, in the solid state, sequential amide-to-amide correlations turn out to be an excellent, complementary way to exploit amide shifts for unambiguous backbone assignment. For a general assessment, we compare amide-to-amide experiments with the more common 13 C-shift-based methods. Exploiting efficient CP magnetization transfers rather than less efficient INEPT periods, our results suggest that the approach is very feasible for solid-state NMR

-silico methods guiding the discovery process would be of high value. To develop such an in-silico method and provide the data foundation of it, we determined the melting temperatures of 602 fungal glycoside hydrolases from the families GH5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 43 and AA9 (formerly GH61). We, then used sequence...... and homology modeled structure information of these enzymes to develop the ThermoP melting temperature prediction method. Futhermore, in the context of thermostability, we determined the relative importance of 160 molecular features, such as amino acid frequencies and spatial interactions, and exemplified...

Full Text Available A series of diverse substituted 5-methyl-isoxazole-4-carboxylic acidamides, imide and esters in which the benzene ring is mono or disubstituted was prepared. Spectroscopic and conformational examination was investigated and a new insight involving steric interference and interesting downfield deviation due to additional diamagnetic anisotropic effect of the amidic carbonyl group and the methine protons in 2,6-diisopropyl-aryl derivative (2 as conformationaly restricted analogues Leflunomide was discussed. Individual substituent electronic effects through π resonance of p-substituents and most stable conformation of compound (2 are discussed.

Knowledge of the ethnic differences and effects of photodamage on the relative amounts of natural moisturizing factor (NMF) together with filaggrin processing enzymes in facial stratum corneum is limited. Our aim was to characterize the activities of calpain-1 (C-1), bleomycin hydrolase (BH) and the levels of pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA) as a marker for total NMF levels and to relate them to plasmin activities and corneocyte maturation. Enzyme activities, PCA levels and corneocyte maturation were determined from facial tape strippings of photoexposed cheek and photoprotected post-auricular areas (PA) of healthy Caucasian (C), Black African (BA) and albino African (AA) female subjects living in South Africa. PCA concentration levels were of the order AA > BA > C subjects, and the highest activities of BH were present in the AA subjects. BH activities were greater on the photoexposed sites for the BA and C subjects, but they were only numerically elevated in the AA subjects. Photoprotected sites had an increase in C-1 activity in pigmented groups (C and BA), whereas in the AA subjects, the opposite was measured. Plasmin activities were greater on the cheek compared with the PA site for the AA and C subjects, but the activity was low in the BA subjects. In both test sites, the AA, but not the BA and C subjects, had smaller, parakeratotic and less mature corneocytes. Variation in PCA levels has been found for different ethnic groups in this study (AA > BA > C subjects). The values in the AA subjects are surprising as one might expect that the lack of pigmentation, and thereby increased photodamage, might lead to lower levels. Increased BH, but not C-1 activity, was observed in the AA subjects indicating that BH is associated with PCA production to a greater extent. Surprisingly, corneocyte maturation is still impaired with elevated PCA levels in AA subjects. The higher levels of plasmin and BH activities on the cheeks, especially for AA and C subjects, suggest

The direct lactamization of 1,3- and 1,4-azido amides has been achieved using triphenylphosphine and water, affording various γ- and δ-lactams in good to excellent yields. The direct lactamization of the azido amides was performed via the Staudinger-type reductive cyclization in which the amide group acts as the electrophile for lactam synthesis. This lactamization provides a mild, functional group tolerant and efficient route for the synthesis of various γ- and δ-lactams found in natural products and pharmaceuticals. Further studies will be conducted to develop new synthetic routes for the synthesis of various lactams. The lactam ring system is one of the most ubiquitous structural motifs found in natural products and pharmaceuticals. Owing to the prevalence of lactams, their synthesis has attracted considerable attention. Lactams are usually prepared by the coupling of activated carboxylic acid derivatives with amines. Alternative routes include the Beckmann rearrangement of oximes, the Schmidt reaction of cyclic ketones and hydrazoic acid, the Kinugasa reaction of nitrones and terminal acetylenes, the Diels-Alder reaction of cyclopentadiene and chlorosulfonyl isocyanate, transition metal catalyzed lactamization of amino alcohols, and iodolactamization of amides and alkenes. In particular, the intramolecular Staudinger ligation of azides and activated carboxy acids, including esters, is well known as an environmentally friendly and mild protocol for lactam synthesis.

The direct lactamization of 1,3- and 1,4-azido amides has been achieved using triphenylphosphine and water, affording various γ- and δ-lactams in good to excellent yields. The direct lactamization of the azido amides was performed via the Staudinger-type reductive cyclization in which the amide group acts as the electrophile for lactam synthesis. This lactamization provides a mild, functional group tolerant and efficient route for the synthesis of various γ- and δ-lactams found in natural products and pharmaceuticals. Further studies will be conducted to develop new synthetic routes for the synthesis of various lactams. The lactam ring system is one of the most ubiquitous structural motifs found in natural products and pharmaceuticals. Owing to the prevalence of lactams, their synthesis has attracted considerable attention. Lactams are usually prepared by the coupling of activated carboxylic acid derivatives with amines. Alternative routes include the Beckmann rearrangement of oximes, the Schmidt reaction of cyclic ketones and hydrazoic acid, the Kinugasa reaction of nitrones and terminal acetylenes, the Diels-Alder reaction of cyclopentadiene and chlorosulfonyl isocyanate, transition metal catalyzed lactamization of amino alcohols, and iodolactamization of amides and alkenes. In particular, the intramolecular Staudinger ligation of azides and activated carboxy acids, including esters, is well known as an environmentally friendly and mild protocol for lactam synthesis

The Glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 70 originally was established for glucansucrases of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) converting sucrose into α-glucan polymers. In recent years we have identified 3 subfamilies of GH70 enzymes (designated GtfB, GtfC and GtfD) as 4,6-α-glucanotransferases, cleaving

Using the methods of solubility, densi- and refractometry at 25 deg C, it has been established that the systems lithium tetraborate-formamide (acetamide, dimethyl-formamide)-water are of a simple eutonic type. Amides decrease the salt solubility. Lyotropic effect, as calculated for molar concentrations (-Lsub(M)) relative to the absolute value, increases from formamide to dimethyl-formamide. The sequence is determined by the fact that, when there is one or two hydrophilic methyl groups in amide molecules which are in contact with tetraborate, they decrease the hydration energy of lithium cations.

Methods of solubility and refractometry at 25 deg C were applied to investigate sodium tetraborate - formamide (dimethylformamide) - water systems. It is stated that they are of simple eutonic type as well as the earlier described sodium tetraborate-acetamide-water system. Amides reduce solubility of the salt. The effect of contact interaction between dissolved substances on salt cation hydration and thus on the value of liotropic amide effect is confirmed. This value is found to be also depend on the number of molecules of coordination water in the initial crystalline hydrate

Using the methods of solubility, densi- and refractometry at 25 deg C, it has been established that the systemS lithium tetraborate-formamide (acetamide, dimethyl-formamide)-water are of a simple eutonic type. Amides decrease the salt solubility. Lyotropic effect, as calculated for molar concentrations (-Lsub(M)) relative to the absolute value, increases from formamide to dimethylformamide. The sequence is determined by the fact that, when there is one or two hydrophilic methyl groups in amide molecules which are in contact with tetraborate, they decrease the hydration energy of lithium cations

Methods of solubility and refractometry at 25 deg C were applied to investigate sodium tetraborate - formamide (dimethylformamide) - water systems. It is stated that they are of simple eutonic type as well as the earlier described sodium tetraborate-acetamide-water system. Amides reduce solubility of the salt. The effect of contact interaction between dissolved substances on salt cation hydration and thus on the value of liotropic amide effect is confirmed. This value is found to be also depend on the number of molecules of coordination water in the initial crystalline hydrate.

To develop an efficient bioconversion process for amides, we screened our collection of Streptomyces strains, mostly obtained from soil, for effective transformers. Five strains, including the SY007 (NBRC 109343) and SY435 (NBRC 109344) of Streptomyces sp., exhibited marked conversion activities from the approximately 700 strains analyzed. These strains transformed diverse amide compounds such as N-acetyltetrahydroquinoline, N-benzoylpyrrolidine, and N-benzoylpiperidine into alcohols or N,O-acetals with high activity and regioselectivity. N,O-acetal was transformed into alcohol by serial tautomerization and reduction reactions. As such, Streptomyces spp. can potentially be used for the efficient preparation of hydroxy amides and aminoalcohols.

A hollow-fiber type chelating resin containing the amide oxime group for the recovery of uranium from seawater was synthesized by radiation-induced graft polymerization. The effect of the conditions of amidoximation on the amount and/or distribution of the functional groups and on the durability to the recycle adsorption was investigated. The amount of adsorbed copper on the resin increased with the reaction time of the amidoximation, but that of adsorbed hydrochloric acid gradually decreased after reaching the maximum. From the results of elemental analysis, infrared adsorption spectra, visible light and ultraviolet adsorption spectra and the observation of coloration of the resin by alkaline treatment, the amidoximation was found to be a consecutive reaction. The results also suggested that, after the introduction of the amide oxime group, the acidicamide, hydroxamic acid and/or cyclic functional groups were formed. From the measurement of the distribution of adsorbed copper by X-ray microanalyzer, it was confirmed that the amidoximation occured uniformly across the resin. An experiment was carried out on the recycle adsorption of the amide oxime resin using natural seawater, and the sufficient durability was recognized for the case that the resin was taken out from the hydroxylamine solution at the time when the amount of adsorbed hydrochloric acid reached the maximum. In this case the resin contained the largest amount of the amide oxime group and least amount of the by-products formed from the secondary reactions. (author)

Transmidation is an attractive method for amide synthesis. However, transamidation of secondary amides is challenging. Here, we describe a reductive transamidation method that employs readily available nitro(hetero)arenes as the nitrogen sources, zinc or manganese as reductant, and simple nickel salt and ligand as a catalyst system. The scope of amides includes both alkyl and aryl secondary amides, with high functional group compatibility.

Full Text Available Tannin acyl hydrolase also referred as tannase is an enzyme with important applications in several science and technology fields. Due to its hydrolytic and synthetic properties, tannase could be used to reduce the negative effects of tannins in beverages, food, feed, and tannery effluents, for the production of gallic acid from tannin-rich materials, the elucidation of tannin structure, and the synthesis of gallic acid esters in nonaqueous media. However, industrial applications of tannase are still very limited due to its high production cost. Thus, there is a growing interest in the production, recovery, and purification of this enzyme. Recently, there have been published a number of papers on the improvement of upstream and downstream processing of the enzyme. These papers dealt with the search for new tannase producing microorganisms, the application of novel fermentation systems, optimization of culture conditions, the production of the enzyme by recombinant microorganism, and the design of efficient protocols for tannase recovery and purification. The present work reviews the state of the art of basic and biotechnological aspects of tannin acyl hydrolase, focusing on the recent advances in the upstream and downstream processing of the enzyme.

Tannin acyl hydrolase also referred as tannase is an enzyme with important applications in several science and technology fields. Due to its hydrolytic and synthetic properties, tannase could be used to reduce the negative effects of tannins in beverages, food, feed, and tannery effluents, for the production of gallic acid from tannin-rich materials, the elucidation of tannin structure, and the synthesis of gallic acid esters in nonaqueous media. However, industrial applications of tannase are still very limited due to its high production cost. Thus, there is a growing interest in the production, recovery, and purification of this enzyme. Recently, there have been published a number of papers on the improvement of upstream and downstream processing of the enzyme. These papers dealt with the search for new tannase producing microorganisms, the application of novel fermentation systems, optimization of culture conditions, the production of the enzyme by recombinant microorganism, and the design of efficient protocols for tannase recovery and purification. The present work reviews the state of the art of basic and biotechnological aspects of tannin acyl hydrolase, focusing on the recent advances in the upstream and downstream processing of the enzyme.

Full Text Available The mass spectra of a series of stevioside analogues including the amide and dimer compounds of steviol, isosteviol, and steviolbioside were examined. Positive ion mass spectral fragmentation of new steviol, isosteviol, and steviolbioside amides and the amide dimers are reported and discussed. The techniques included their synthesis procedures, fast-atom bombardment (FAB, and LC/MS/MS mass spectra. Intense [M+H]+ and [M+Na]+ ion peaks were observed on the FAB and ESI spectra. LC/MS/MS also yielded ES+ and ES− ion peaks that fairly agreed with the results of the FAB and ESI studies. Mass spectral analysis of compounds 4p-q, 5a-g, 6, and 7 revealed the different cleavage pathway patterns that can help in identifying the structures of steviolbioside and its amide derivatives.

A TiCl4-mediated reaction for the direct amination of alpha-hydroxy amides has been developed. This simple, general, additive/base/ligand-free reaction is mediated by economical TiCl4. The reaction runs under mild conditions. This highly efficient C-N bond formation protocol is valid for diverse

The processes of producing glutamine and asparagine at the initial stage of the absorption and assimilation of ammonia in rice seedling roots were examined in relation to glutamic acid, aspartic acid and ammonia by 15 N-labelling method. When ( 15 NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 was absorbed into the roots, 15 N concentration appeared very high in glutamine-amide radical and ammonia. It was also higher in amide radical than in amino radical in both glutamine and asparagine, while 15 N concentration in the amino radical of glutamine and asparagine were far lower than that of corresponding glutamine acid and aspartic acid. From these facts, glutamine-amide radical seems to be produced directly from the ammonia in culture media at the contact point of root cells and the culture media, while there is some possibility that asparagine-amide radical is formed from other amino compounds than ammonia. Also the amino radical of aspartic acid seems to be produced not only by the transamination from glutamic acid but also by the reductive amination of oxalautic acid by ammonium. (Kobatake, H.)

γ,δ-Unsaturated amides in which the alkene moiety bears an aryl or heteroaryl substituent undergo regioselective rhodium-catalyzed δ-borylation by pinacolborane to afford chiral secondary benzylic boronic esters. The results contrast the γ-borylation of γ,δ-unsaturated amides in which the disubstituted alkene moiety bears only alkyl substituents; the reversal in regiochemistry is coupled with a reversal in the sense of π-facial selectivity.

Adenoregulin is a 33 amino acid antimicrobial peptide isolated from the skin of the arboreal frog Phyllomedusa bicolor. Natural adenoregulin is synthesized with an amidated valine residue at C-terminus and shows lethal effects against filamentous fungi, as well as a broad spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms. A synthetic gene for adenoregulin (ADR) with an additional amino acid glutamine at C-terminus was cloned into pET32a vector to allow expression of ADR as a Trx fusion protein in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The resulting expression level of the fusion protein could reach up to 20% of the total cell proteins. The fusion protein could be purified effectively by Ni2+-chelating chromatography. Released from the fusion protein by enterokinase cleavage and purified to homogeneity, the recombinant ADR displayed antimicrobial activity similar to that of the synthetic ADR reported earlier. Comparing the antimicrobial activities of the recombinant adenoregulin with C-amidated terminus to that without an amidated C-terminus, we found that the amide of glutamine at C-terminus of ADR improved its potency on certain microorganisms such as Tritirachium album and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A collection of 32 structurally related N -(4-halobenzyl)amides were synthesized from cinnamic and benzoic acids through coupling reactions with 4-halobenzylamines, using (benzotriazol-1-yloxy)tris(dimethylamino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate (BOP) as a coupling agent. The compounds were identified by spectroscopic methods such as infrared, ¹H- and 13 C- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The compounds were then submitted to antimicrobial tests by the minimum inhibitory concentration method (MIC) and nystatin was used as a control in the antifungal assays. The purpose of the tests was to evaluate the influence of structural changes in the cinnamic and benzoic acid substructures on the inhibitory activity against strains of Candida albicans , Candida tropicalis , and Candida krusei . A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study with KNIME v. 3.1.0 and Volsurf v. 1.0.7 softwares were realized, showing that descriptors DRDRDR, DRDRAC, L4LgS, IW4 and DD2 influence the antifungal activity of the haloamides. In general, 10 benzamides revealed fungal sensitivity, especially a vanillic amide which enjoyed the lowest MIC. The results demonstrate that a hydroxyl group in the para position, and a methoxyl at the meta position enhance antifungal activity for the amide skeletal structure. In addition, the double bond as a spacer group appears to be important for the activity of amide structures.

Full Text Available In order to improve mycelium-bound ester hydrolases activities of Aspergillus oryzae Cs007, the main production conditions were investigated. The ester hydrolases activities were simultaneously determined by titration assay and spectrophotometric assay methods, using olive oil and p-nitrophenyl esters as substrates, respectively. The optimum carbon source and nitrogen source were olive oil and peptone, with the concentrations of 1% and 2.2%, respectively. The effects of carbon source, nitrogen source and their concentrations on the production of enzymes were identical when the enzymes activities were assayed by the two methods. The mycelium-bound enzymes showed hydrolytic activity toward all the tested p-nitrophenyl esters, triglycerides and fatty acid ethyl esters. But it showed greater preference for long-chain triglycerides and short-chain p-nitrophenyl esters.

We applied a combination of rational design and directed evolution (DE) to Bacillus subtilis p-nitrobenzyl esterase (pNBE) with the goal of enhancing organophosphorus acid anhydride hydrolase (OPAAH) activity. DE started with a designed variant, pNBE A107H, carrying a histidine homologous with human butyrylcholinesterase G117H to find complementary mutations that further enhance its OPAAH activity. Five sites were selected (G105, G106, A107, A190, and A400) within a 6.7 Å radius of the nucleophilic serine O?. All 95 variants were screened for esterase activity with a set of five substrates: pNP-acetate, pNP-butyrate, acetylthiocholine, butyrylthiocholine, or benzoylthiocholine. A microscale assay for OPAAH activity was developed for screening DE libraries. Reductions in esterase activity were generally concomitant with enhancements in OPAAH activity. One variant, A107K, showed an unexpected 7-fold increase in its kcat/Km for benzoylthiocholine, demonstrating that it is also possible to enhance the cholinesterase activity of pNBE. Moreover, DE resulted in at least three variants with modestly enhanced OPAAH activity compared to wild type pNBE. A107H/A190C showed a 50-fold increase in paraoxonase activity and underwent a slow time- and temperature-dependent change affecting the hydrolysis of OPAA and ester substrates. Structural analysis suggests that pNBE may represent a precursor leading to human cholinesterase and carboxylesterase 1 through extension of two vestigial specificity loops; a preliminary attempt to transfer the Ω-loop of BChE into pNBE is described. pNBE was tested as a surrogate scaffold for mammalian esterases. Unlike butyrylcholinesterase and pNBE, introducing a G143H mutation (equivalent to G117H) did not confer detectable OP hydrolase activity on human carboxylesterase 1. We discuss the importance of the oxyanion-hole residues for enhancing the OPAAH activity of selected serine hydrolases.

Various commercial lyophilized and immobilized preparations of lipase A from Candida antarctica (CAL-A) were studied for their ability to catalyze the hydrolysis of amide bonds in N-acylated alpha-amino acids, 3-butanamidobutanoic acid (beta-amino acid) and its ethyl ester. The activity toward amide bonds is highly untypical of lipases, despite the close mechanistic analogy to amidases which normally catalyze the corresponding reactions. Most CAL-A preparations cleaved amide bonds of various substrates with high enantioselectivity, although high variations in substrate selectivity and catalytic rates were detected. The possible role of contaminant protein species on the hydrolytic activity toward these bonds was studied by fractionation and analysis of the commercial lyophilized preparation of CAL-A (Cat#ICR-112, Codexis). In addition to minor impurities, two equally abundant proteins were detected, migrating on SDS-PAGE a few kDa apart around the calculated size of CAL-A. Based on peptide fragment analysis and sequence comparison both bands shared substantial sequence coverage with CAL-A. However, peptides at the C-terminal end constituting a motile domain described as an active-site flap were not identified in the smaller fragment. Separated gel filtration fractions of the two forms of CAL-A both catalyzed the amide bond hydrolysis of ethyl 3-butanamidobutanoate as well as the N-acylation of methyl pipecolinate. Hydrolytic activity towards N-acetylmethionine was, however, solely confined to the fractions containing the truncated form of CAL-A. These fractions were also found to contain a trace enzyme impurity identified in sequence analysis as a serine carboxypeptidase. The possible role of catalytic impurities versus the function of CAL-A in amide bond hydrolysis is further discussed in the paper.

Individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) restrict eating and become emaciated. They tend to have an aversion to foods rich in fat. Because epoxide hydrolase 2 (EPHX2) was identified as a novel AN susceptibility gene, and because its protein product, soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), converts bioactive epoxides of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) to the corresponding diols, lipidomic and metabolomic targets of EPHX2 were assessed to evaluate the biological functions of EPHX2 and their role in AN. Epoxide substrates of sEH and associated oxylipins were measured in ill AN, recovered AN and gender- and race-matched controls. PUFA and oxylipin markers were tested as potential biomarkers for AN. Oxylipin ratios were calculated as proxy markers of in vivo sEH activity. Several free- and total PUFAs were associated with AN diagnosis and with AN recovery. AN displayed elevated n-3 PUFAs and may differ from controls in PUFA elongation and desaturation processes. Cytochrome P450 pathway oxylipins from arachidonic acid, linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid and docosahexaenoic acid PUFAs are associated with AN diagnosis. The diol:epoxide ratios suggest the sEH activity is higher in AN compared with controls. Multivariate analysis illustrates normalization of lipidomic profiles in recovered ANs. EPHX2 influences AN risk through in vivo interaction with dietary PUFAs. PUFA composition and concentrations as well as sEH activity may contribute to the pathogenesis and prognosis of AN. Our data support the involvement of EPHX2-associated lipidomic and oxylipin dysregulations in AN, and reveal their potential as biomarkers to assess responsiveness to future intervention or treatment.

An efficient method has been developed for direct amide bond synthesis between carboxylic acids and amines via (2-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)phenyl)boronic acid as a highly active bench-stable catalyst. This catalyst was found to be very effective at room temperature for a large range of substrates with slightly higher temperatures required for challenging ones. This methodology can be applied to aliphatic, α-hydroxyl, aromatic, and heteroaromatic acids as well as primary, secondary, heterocyclic, and even functionalized amines. Notably, N-Boc-protected amino acids were successfully coupled in good yields with very little racemization. An example of catalytic dipeptide synthesis is reported.

Theranostic nano-polyplexes containing gene and imaging agents hold a great promise for tumor diagnosis and therapy. In this work, we develop a group of new gadolinium (Gd)-chelated cationic poly(urethane amide)s for gene delivery and T 1 -weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Cationic poly(urethane amide)s (denoted as CPUAs) having multiple disulfide bonds, urethane and amide linkages were synthesized by stepwise polycondensation reaction between 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine and a mixture of di(4-nitrophenyl)-2, 2′-dithiodiethanocarbonate (DTDE-PNC) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) dianhydride at varied molar ratios. Then, Gd-chelated CPUAs (denoted as GdCPUAs) were produced by chelating Gd(III) ions with DTPA residues of CPUAs. These GdCPUAs could condense gene into nanosized and positively-charged polyplexes in a physiological condition and, however, liberated gene in an intracellular reductive environment. In vitro transfection experiments revealed that the GdCPUA at a DTDE-PNC/DTPA residue molar ratio of 85/15 induced the highest transfection efficiency in different cancer cells. This efficiency was higher than that yielded with 25 kDa branched polyethylenimine as a positive control. GdCPUAs and their polyplexes exhibited low cytotoxicity when an optimal transfection activity was detected. Moreover, GdCPUAs may serve as contrast agents for T 1 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The results of this work indicate that biodegradable Gd-chelated cationic poly(urethane amide) copolymers have high potential for tumor theranostics. - Highlights: • Novel cationic gadolinium-chelated poly(urethane amide)s (GdCPUAs) are prepared. • GdCPUAs can induce a high transfection efficacy in different cancer cells. • GdCPUAs reveal good cyto-compatibility against cancer cells. • GdCPUAs may be applied as T 1 -contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. • GdCPUAs hold high potential for cancer theranostics.

Despite recent progress in catalytic cross-coupling technologies, the direct activation of N-alkyl-N-aryl amides has been a challenging transformation. Here, we report the first Suzuki cross-coupling of N-methylamino pyrimidyl amides (MAPA) enabled by the controlled n N → π Ar conjugation and the resulting remodeling of the partial double bond character of the amide bond. The new mode of amide activation is suitable for generating acyl-metal intermediates from unactivated primary and secondary amides.

The recombinant epoxide hydrolase from Agrobacterium radiobacter AD1 was used to obtain enantiomerically pure epoxides by means of a kinetic resolution. Epoxides such as styrene oxide and various derivatives thereof and phenyl glycidyl ether were obtained in high enantiomeric excess and in

Epoxide hydrolases are ubiquitous enzymes that can be found in nearly all living organisms. Some of the enzymes play an important role in detoxifying xenobiotic and metabolic compounds. Others are important in the growth of organisms like

Pig intestinal lactase/phlorizin hydrolase (EC 3.2.1.23/62) was purified in its amphiphilic form by immunoadsorbent chromatography. The purified enzyme was free of other known brush border enzymes and appeared homogeneous in immunoelectrophoresis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the pres......Pig intestinal lactase/phlorizin hydrolase (EC 3.2.1.23/62) was purified in its amphiphilic form by immunoadsorbent chromatography. The purified enzyme was free of other known brush border enzymes and appeared homogeneous in immunoelectrophoresis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis...... in the presence of SDS. Pig lactase/phlorizin hydrolase was shown to have the same quaternary structure as the human enzyme, i.e., built up of two polypeptides of the same molecular weight (160000). In addition to hydrolyzing lactose, phlorizin and a number of synthetic substrates, both the human and the pig...... membranes (basolateral and intracellular membranes) exhibited in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the same size of constituent polypeptides and the same catalytic and immunological properties as a normal brush border lactase/phlorizin hydrolase....

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellulolytic activity or hemicellulolytic activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of produ...

To improve the physical and chemical properties of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) and find higher antifungal compounds, a series of PCA amide analogues were designed and synthesized and their structures were confirmed by 1 H NMR, HRMS, and X-ray. Most compounds showed some antifungal activities in vitro. Particularly, compound 3d exhibited inhibition effect against Pyriculariaoryzac Cavgra with EC 50 value of 28.7 μM and compound 3q exhibited effect against Rhizoctonia solani with EC 50 value of 24.5 μM, more potently active than that of the positive control PCA with its EC 50 values of 37.3 μM (Pyriculariaoryzac Cavgra) and 33.2 μM (Rhizoctonia solani), respectively.

Bacterial SH3 (SH3b) domains are commonly fused with papain-like Nlp/P60 cell wall hydrolase domains. To understand how the modular architecture of SH3b and NlpC/P60 affects the activity of the catalytic domain, three putative NlpC/P60 cell wall hydrolases were biochemically and structurally characterized. These enzymes all have γ-d-Glu-A2pm (A2pm is diaminopimelic acid) cysteine amidase (ordl-endopeptidase) activities but with different substrate specificities. One enzyme is a cell wall lysin that cleaves peptidoglycan (PG), while the other two are cell wall recycling enzymes that only cleave stem peptides with an N-terminall-Ala. Their crystal structures revealed a highly conserved structure consisting of two SH3b domains and a C-terminal NlpC/P60 catalytic domain, despite very low sequence identity. Interestingly, loops from the first SH3b domain dock into the ends of the active site groove of the catalytic domain, remodel the substrate binding site, and modulate substrate specificity. Two amino acid differences at the domain interface alter the substrate binding specificity in favor of stem peptides in recycling enzymes, whereas the SH3b domain may extend the peptidoglycan binding surface in the cell wall lysins. Remarkably, the cell wall lysin can be converted into a recycling enzyme with a single mutation.

IMPORTANCEPeptidoglycan is a meshlike polymer that envelops the bacterial plasma membrane and bestows structural integrity. Cell wall lysins and recycling enzymes are part of a set of lytic enzymes that target covalent bonds connecting the amino acid and amino sugar building blocks of the PG network. These hydrolases are involved in processes such as cell growth and division, autolysis, invasion, and PG turnover and recycling. To avoid cleavage of unintended substrates, these enzymes have very selective substrate specificities. Our biochemical and structural

Cysteine residues have a rich chemistry and play a critical role in the catalytic activity of a plethora of enzymes. However, cysteines are susceptible to oxidation by Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species, leading to a loss of their catalytic function. Therefore, cysteine oxidation is emerging as a relevant physiological regulatory mechanism. Formation of a cyclic sulfenyl amide residue at the active site of redox-regulated proteins has been proposed as a protection mechanism against irreversible oxidation as the sulfenyl amide intermediate has been identified in several proteins. However, how and why only some specific cysteine residues in particular proteins react to form this intermediate is still unknown. In the present work using in-silico based tools, we have identified a constrained conformation that accelerates sulfenyl amide formation. By means of combined MD and QM/MM calculation we show that this conformation positions the NH backbone towards the sulfenic acid and promotes the reaction to yield the sulfenyl amide intermediate, in one step with the concomitant release of a water molecule. Moreover, in a large subset of the proteins we found a conserved beta sheet-loop-helix motif, which is present across different protein folds, that is key for sulfenyl amide production as it promotes the previous formation of sulfenic acid. For catalytic activity, in several cases, proteins need the Cysteine to be in the cysteinate form, i.e. a low pKa Cys. We found that the conserved motif stabilizes the cysteinate by hydrogen bonding to several NH backbone moieties. As cysteinate is also more reactive toward ROS we propose that the sheet-loop-helix motif and the constraint conformation have been selected by evolution for proteins that need a reactive Cys protected from irreversible oxidation. Our results also highlight how fold conservation can be correlated to redox chemistry regulation of protein function. PMID:25741692

Although both the α-amylase super-family, i.e. the glycoside hydrolase (GH) clan GH-H (the GH families 13, 70 and 77), and family GH31 share some characteristics, their different catalytic machinery prevents classification of GH31 in clan GH-H. A significant but remote evolutionary relatedness is...

Measurement of the lifetimes of vibrational modes in proteins has been achieved with a single frequency infrared pump-probe technique using the Stanford Picosecond Free-electron Laser, These are the first direct measurements of vibrational dynamics in the polyamide structure of proteins. In this study, modes associated with the protein backbone are investigated. Results for the amide I band, which consists mainly of the stretching motion of the carbonyl unit of the amide linkage, show that relaxation from the first vibrational excited level (v=1) to the vibrational ground state (v=0) occurs within 1.5 picoseconds with apparent first order kinetics. Comparison of lifetimes for myoglobin and azurin, which have differing secondary structures, show a small but significant difference. The lifetime for the amide I band of myoglobin is 300 femtoseconds shorter than for azurin. Further measurements are in progress on other backbone vibrational modes and on the temperature dependence of the lifetimes. Comparison of vibrational dynamics for proteins with differing secondary structure and for different vibrational modes within a protein will lead to a greater understanding of energy transfer and dissipation in biological systems. In addition, these results have relevance to tissue ablation studies which have been conducted with pulsed infrared lasers. Vibrational lifetimes are necessary for calculating the rate at which the energy from absorbed infrared photons is converted to equilibrium thermal energy within the irradiated volume. The very fast vibrational lifetimes measured here indicate that mechanisms which involve direct vibrational up-pumping of the amide modes with consecutive laser pulses, leading to bond breakage or weakening, are not valid

New, thermooxidatively stable polyimides were prepared from the reaction of aromatic dianhydrides containing isopropylidene bridging groups with aromatic diamines containing amide connecting groups between the rings. Several of these polyimides were shown to be semi-crystalline as evidenced by wide angle x ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry. Most of the polyimides form tough, flexible films with high tensile properties. These polyimide films exhibit enhanced solubility in organic solvents.

This study describes the isolation and structural determination of two amides, isolated for the first time: N,4-dihydroxy-N-(2'-hydroxyethyl)-benzamide (0.019%) and N,4-dihydroxy-N-(2'-hydroxyethyl)-benzeneacetamide (0.023%). These amides, produced by the red macroalgae Bostrychia radicans, had their structures assigned by NMR spectral data and MS analyses. In addition, this chemical study led to the isolation of cholesterol, heptadecane, squalene, trans-phytol, neophytadiene, tetradecanoic and hexadecanoic acids, methyl hexadecanoate and methyl 9-octadecenoate, 4-(methoxymethyl)-phenol, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, methyl 4-hydroxybenzeneacetate, methyl 2-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propanoate, hydroquinone, methyl 4-hydroxymandelate, methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, 4-hydroxybenzeneacetic acid and (4-hydroxyphenyl)-oxo-acetaldehyde. This is the first report concerning these compounds in B. radicans, contributing by illustrating the chemical diversity within the Rhodomelaceae family. (author)

Full Text Available This study describes the isolation and structural determination of two amides, isolated for the first time: N,4-dihydroxy-N-(2'-hydroxyethyl-benzamide (0.019% and N,4-dihydroxy-N-(2'-hydroxyethyl-benzeneacetamide (0.023%. These amides, produced by the red macroalgae Bostrychia radicans, had their structures assigned by NMR spectral data and MS analyses. In addition, this chemical study led to the isolation of cholesterol, heptadecane, squalene, trans-phytol, neophytadiene, tetradecanoic and hexadecanoic acids, methyl hexadecanoate and methyl 9-octadecenoate, 4-(methoxymethyl-phenol, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, methyl 4-hydroxybenzeneacetate, methyl 2-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl-propanoate, hydroquinone, methyl 4-hydroxymandelate, methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, 4-hydroxybenzeneacetic acid and (4-hydroxyphenyl-oxo-acetaldehyde. This is the first report concerning these compounds in B. radicans, contributing by illustrating the chemical diversity within the Rhodomelaceae family.

The crystal structure of a conserved hypothetical protein from X. campestris has been determined to a resolution of 1.6 Å. The determined X. campestris structure shows that it belongs to the superfamily of serine α/β hydrolase, with an extra strand preceding the first β-strand to lead to extensive subunit interactions in the crystal. XC6422 is a conserved hypothetical protein from Xanthomonas campestris pathovar campestris (Xcc), a Gram-negative yellow-pigmented pathogenic bacterium that causes black rot, one of the major worldwide diseases of cruciferous crops. The protein consists of 220 amino acids and its structure has been determined to 1.6 Å resolution using the multi-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) method. Although it has very low sequence identity to protein sequences in the PDB (less than 20%), the determined structure nevertheless shows that it belongs to the superfamily of serine α/β-hydrolases, with an active site that is fully accessible to solvent owing to the absence of a lid domain. Modelling studies with the serine esterase inhibitor E600 indicate that XC6422 adopts a conserved Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad common to this superfamily and has a preformed oxyanion hole for catalytic activation. These structural features suggest that XC6422 is most likely to be a hydrolase active on a soluble ester or a small lipid. An extra strand preceding the first β-strand in the canonical α/β-hydrolase fold leads to extensive subunit interactions between XC6422 monomers, which may explain why XC6422 crystals of good diffraction quality can grow to dimensions of up to 1.5 mm in a few days.

Amides are common functional groups that have been studied for more than a century. They are the key building blocks of proteins and are present in a broad range of other natural and synthetic compounds. Amides are known to be poor electrophiles, which is typically attributed to the resonance stability of the amide bond. Although amides can readily be cleaved by enzymes such as proteases, it is difficult to selectively break the carbon-nitrogen bond of an amide using synthetic chemistry. Here we demonstrate that amide carbon-nitrogen bonds can be activated and cleaved using nickel catalysts. We use this methodology to convert amides to esters, which is a challenging and underdeveloped transformation. The reaction methodology proceeds under exceptionally mild reaction conditions, and avoids the use of a large excess of an alcohol nucleophile. Density functional theory calculations provide insight into the thermodynamics and catalytic cycle of the amide-to-ester transformation. Our results provide a way to harness amide functional groups as synthetic building blocks and are expected to lead to the further use of amides in the construction of carbon-heteroatom or carbon-carbon bonds using non-precious-metal catalysis.

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) has experienced a growth in its demand as a bottle container and food packaging material. However, in order to expand its uses, its barrier properties to gases like carbon dioxide and oxygen, have to be improved. In this way, bisester amide units have been introduced as a third component in the main chain of PET, with the aim to reduce both CO2 and O2 permeability. In this project, poly(ester-amide)s based on PET (PETxMXy) have been synthesized, according to th...

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of nitriles from amides has been described. Two similar, but complementary reaction conditions have been identified to convert various amides including α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated amides, cinnamides, aromatic amides and alkyl amides to the corresponding nitriles in good to excellent yield.

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of nitriles from amides has been described. Two similar, but complementary reaction conditions have been identified to convert various amides including α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated amides, cinnamides, aromatic amides and alkyl amides to the corresponding nitriles in good to excellent yield.

Lysozyme was attached through an amide linkage between some of the protein’s aspartate and glutamate residues to amino-glycine-cellulose (AGC), which was prepared by esterification of glycine to preparations of cotton nanocrystals (CNC). The nanocrystalline preparations were produced through acid h...

A dibutyl amide resin is used for the separation of uranium(VI), thorium(IV), and zirconium(IV) from each other and several other metal ions. Uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) are determined in the presence of large excesses of foreign metal ions and anions. A practical application of the amide resin is studied by determining uranium in low grade uranium ores. The amide resin is also used for the selective concentration of gold(III) from sea water

A dibutyl amide resin is used for the separation of uranium(VI), thorium(IV), and zirconium(IV) from each other and several other metal ions. Uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) are determined in the presence of large excesses of foreign metal ions and anions. A practical application of the amide resin is studied by determining uranium in low grade uranium ores. The amide resin is also used for the selective concentration of gold(III) from sea water.

γ-Glutamyltranspeptidases (γ-GTs), ubiquitous in glutathione metabolism for γ-glutamyl transfer/hydrolysis, are N-terminal nucleophile (Ntn)-hydrolase fold proteins that share an autoproteolytic process for self-activation. γ-GT homologues are widely present in Gram-positive actinobacteria where their Ntn-hydrolase activities, however, are not involved in glutathione metabolism. Herein, we demonstrate that the formation of 4-Alkyl-L-(dehydro)proline (ALDP) residues, the non-proteinogenic α-amino acids that serve as vital components of many bioactive metabolites found in actinobacteria, involves unprecedented Ntn-hydrolase activity of γ-GT homologue for C-C bond cleavage. The related enzymes share a key Thr residue, which acts as an internal nucleophile for protein hydrolysis and then as a newly released N-terminal nucleophile for carboxylate side-chain processing likely through the generation of an oxalyl-Thr enzyme intermediate. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the biosynthesis of various ALDP residues/associated natural products, highlight the versatile functions of Ntn-hydrolase fold proteins, and particularly generate interest in thus far less-appreciated γ-GT homologues in actinobacteria.

Mouse S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase has been crystallized in the presence of the reaction product adenosine. Diffraction data to 1.55 Å resolution were collected using synchrotron radiation. S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase (SAHH; EC 3.3.1.1) catalyzes the reversible hydrolysis of S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine to adenosine and l-homocysteine. For crystallographic investigations, mouse SAHH (MmSAHH) was overexpressed in bacterial cells and crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method in the presence of the reaction product adenosine. X-ray diffraction data to 1.55 Å resolution were collected from an orthorhombic crystal form belonging to space group I222 with unit-cell parameters a = 100.64, b = 104.44, c = 177.31 Å. Structural analysis by molecular replacement is in progress

Substituted ureas and carbamates are mechanistic inhibitors of the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). We screened a set of chemicals containing these functionalities in larval fathead minnow (Pimphales promelas) and embryo/larval golden medaka (Oryzias latipes) models to evaluate the utility of these systems for investigating sEH inhibition in vivo. Both fathead minnow and medaka sEHs were functionally similar to the tested mammalian orthologs (murine and human) with respect to substrate hydrol...

PET hydrolase (PETase), which hydrolyzes polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into soluble building blocks, provides an attractive avenue for the bioconversion of plastics. Here we present the structures of a novel PETase from the PET-consuming microbe Ideonella sakaiensis in complex with substrate and product analogs. Through structural analyses, mutagenesis, and activity measurements, a substrate-binding mode is proposed, and several features critical for catalysis are elucidated.

PET hydrolase (PETase), which hydrolyzes polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into soluble building blocks, provides an attractive avenue for the bioconversion of plastics. Here we present the structures of a novel PETase from the PET-consuming microbe Ideonella sakaiensis in complex with substrate and product analogs. Through structural analyses, mutagenesis, and activity measurements, a substrate-binding mode is proposed, and several features critical for catalysis are elucidated.

M 4 Q r 000 44 Table 11. Purification of arylester hydrolase Specific Total Total Activity Volume Activity Proteina (Umoles/ Purifi- Fraction (mL...did get re-adjusted after the sample was applied. After the sample was applied the column was washed with the above MES buffer an.+eluted with 100 ml...Lieske (94) and compared them to the reversed phase HPLC retention times we have previously reported (16). We get an excellent linear correlation

ABSTRACT: Tannin acyl hydrolase, commonly referred to as tannase (E.C. 3.1.1.20), an inducible extra-cellular enzyme produced by a number of animals, plants and microbes. In this investigation, tannase production under solid-state fermentation by using Aspergillus niger and the waste residue of cashew husk was used as substrate for obtaining the desired fermented product. Microbial tannase is more stable than tannase from other sources like plants or animals. Tannase from fungal sources are r...

Amides are common functional groups that have been well studied for more than a century.1 They serve as the key building blocks of proteins and are present in an broad range of other natural and synthetic compounds. Amides are known to be poor electrophiles, which is typically attributed to resonance stability of the amide bond.1,2 Whereas Nature can easily cleave amides through the action of enzymes, such as proteases,3 the ability to selectively break the C–N bond of an amide using synthetic chemistry is quite difficult. In this manuscript, we demonstrate that amide C–N bonds can be activated and cleaved using nickel catalysts. We have used this methodology to convert amides to esters, which is a challenging and underdeveloped transformation. The reaction methodology proceeds under exceptionally mild reaction conditions, and avoids the use of a large excess of an alcohol nucleophile. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide insight into the thermodynamics and catalytic cycle of this unusual transformation. Our results provide a new strategy to harness amide functional groups as synthons and are expected fuel the further use of amides for the construction of carbon–heteroatom or carbon–carbon bonds using non-precious metal catalysis. PMID:26200342

-protein interactions, those of the PDZ domain family involve formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds: C-termini or internal linear motifs of proteins bind as β-strands to form an extended antiparallel β-sheet with the PDZ domain. Whereas extensive work has focused on the importance of the amino acid side chains...... of the protein ligand, the role of the backbone hydrogen bonds in the binding reaction is not known. Using amide-to-ester substitutions to perturb the backbone hydrogen-bonding pattern, we have systematically probed putative backbone hydrogen bonds between four different PDZ domains and peptides corresponding...... to natural protein ligands. Amide-to-ester mutations of the three C-terminal amides of the peptide ligand severely affected the affinity with the PDZ domain, demonstrating that hydrogen bonds contribute significantly to ligand binding (apparent changes in binding energy, ΔΔG = 1.3 to >3.8 kcal mol(-1...

Cortex Lycii, the root bark of Lycium chinense Mill. or Lycium barbarum L., is a frequently used traditional Chinese medicine. Phytochemical studies have shown that phenolic amides are not only characteristic compounds but also abundant ones in this plant. In the present study, an effective method was developed for structural characterization of phenolic amides from Cortex Lycii by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry. The fragmentation of 14 compounds including six cinnamic acidamides, six neolignanamides, and two lignanamides were studied systematically for the first time. It was found that, in the positive ion mode, neutral loss of the tyramide moiety (137 Da) or N-(4-aminobutyl)acetamide moiety (130 Da) were characteristic for these compounds. At least 54 phenolic amides were detected in the extract and 48 of them were characterized, among which 14 known compounds were identified unambiguously by comparing the retention time and mass spectra with those of reference compounds, and 34 components were tentatively identified based on the fragmentation patterns, exact mass, UV spectra, as well as retention time. Fifteen compounds were characterized as potential new ones. Additionally, the developed method was applied to analyze eight batches of samples collected from the northwest of China, and it was found that cinnamic acidamides were the main type of phenolic amides in Cortex Lycii. In conclusion, the identification of these chemicals provided essential data for further phytochemical studies, metabolites identification, and the quality control of Cortex Lycii.

Full Text Available Abstract Background Glycoside hydrolases cleave the bond between a carbohydrate and another carbohydrate, a protein, lipid or other moiety. Genes encoding glycoside hydrolases are found in a wide range of organisms, from archea to animals, and are relatively abundant in plant genomes. In plants, these enzymes are involved in diverse processes, including starch metabolism, defense, and cell-wall remodeling. Glycoside hydrolase genes have been previously cataloged for Oryza sativa (rice, the model dicotyledonous plant Arabidopsis thaliana, and the fast-growing tree Populus trichocarpa (poplar. To improve our understanding of glycoside hydrolases in plants generally and in grasses specifically, we annotated the glycoside hydrolase genes in the grasses Brachypodium distachyon (an emerging monocotyledonous model and Sorghum bicolor (sorghum. We then compared the glycoside hydrolases across species, at the levels of the whole genome and individual glycoside hydrolase families. Results We identified 356 glycoside hydrolase genes in Brachypodium and 404 in sorghum. The corresponding proteins fell into the same 34 families that are represented in rice, Arabidopsis, and poplar, helping to define a glycoside hydrolase family profile which may be common to flowering plants. For several glycoside hydrolase familes (GH5, GH13, GH18, GH19, GH28, and GH51, we present a detailed literature review together with an examination of the family structures. This analysis of individual families revealed both similarities and distinctions between monocots and eudicots, as well as between species. Shared evolutionary histories appear to be modified by lineage-specific expansions or deletions. Within GH families, the Brachypodium and sorghum proteins generally cluster with those from other monocots. Conclusions This work provides the foundation for further comparative and functional analyses of plant glycoside hydrolases. Defining the Brachypodium glycoside hydrolases sets

Full Text Available Low density composites of sodium montmorillonite and poly(amide-imide polymers have been created using an ice templating method, which serves as an alternative to the often-difficult foaming of high temperature/high performance polymers. The starting polymer was received in the poly(amic acid form which can be cured using heat, into a water insoluble amide-imide copolymer. The resulting materials have densities in the 0.05 g/cm3 range and have excellent mechanical properties. Using a tertiary amine as a processing aid provides for lower viscosity and allows more concentrated polymer solutions to be used. The concentration of the amine relative to the acid groups on the polymer backbone has been found to cause significant difference in the mechanical properties of the dried materials. The synthesis and characterization of low density versions of two poly(amide-imide polymers and their composites with sodium montmorillonite clay are discussed in the present work.

Oxalyl amide derivatives bearing 4-dodecyloxy-stilbene as a cis-trans photoisomerizing unit were synthesized. The trans derivative acted as a versatile gelator of various organic solvents, whereas the corresponding cis derivative showed a poor gelation ability or none at all. In diluted solution (c = 2.0 x10(-5) mol dm(-3), ethanol), the cis isomer was photochemically converted into the trans isomer within 4 min. Depending on the radiation wavelength, the trans isomer was stable or liable to photodecomposition. When exposed to irradiation, a concentrated solution of the cis isomer (c = 2.0 x 10(-2) mol dm(-3), ethanol) turned into a gel. The FT-Raman, FT-IR, and 1H NMR spectra demonstrated that the gelation process occurred because of a rapid cis --> trans photoisomerization followed by a self-assembly of the trans molecules. Apart from the formation of hydrogen bonding between the oxalyl amide parts of the molecules, confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy, it was assumed that the pi-pi stacking between the trans-stilbene units of the molecule and a lipophilic interaction between long alkyl chains were the interactions responsible for gelation.

The carboxamide-pyridine N-oxide heterosynthon is sustained by syn(amide)N-H...O-(oxide) hydrogen bond and auxiliary (N-oxide)C-H...O(amide) interaction (Reddy, L. S.; Babu, N. J.; Nangia, A. Chem. Commun. 2006, 1369). We evaluate the scope and utility of this heterosynthon in amide-containing molecules and drugs (active pharmaceutical ingredients, APIs) with pyridine N-oxide cocrystal former molecules (CCFs). Out of 10 cocrystals in this study and 7 complexes from previous work, amide-N-oxide heterosynthon is present in 12 structures and amide dimer homosynthon occurs in 5 structures. The amide dimer is favored over amide-N-oxide synthon in cocrystals when there is competition from another H-bonding functional group, e.g., 4-hydroxybenzamide, or because of steric factors, as in carbamazepine API. The molecular organization in carbamazepine.quinoxaline N,N'-dioxide 1:1 cocrystal structure is directed by amide homodimer and anti(amide)N-H...O-(oxide) hydrogen bond. Its X-ray crystal structure matches with the third lowest energy frame calculated in Polymorph Predictor (Cerius(2), COMPASS force field). Apart from generating new and diverse supramolecular structures, hydration is controlled in one substance. 4-Picoline N-oxide deliquesces within a day, but its cocrystal with barbital does not absorb moisture at 50% RH and 30 degrees C up to four weeks. Amide-N-oxide heterosynthon has potential utility in both amide and N-oxide type drug molecules with complementary CCFs. Its occurrence probability in the Cambridge Structural Database is 87% among 27 structures without competing acceptors and 78% in 41 structures containing OH, NH, H(2)O functional groups.

Amides of 1,4-dihydropyridine (DHP) are activated by oxidation for acyl transfer to amines, alcohols and thiols. In the reduced form the DHP amide is stable towards reaction with amines at room temperature. However, upon oxidation with DDQ the acyl donor is activated via a proposed pyridinium...

Cytotoxic amides have been isolated from the fruits of the endemic New Zealand medicinal plant kawakawa, Macropiper excelsum (Piperaceae). The main amide was piperchabamide A and this is the first report of this rare compound outside the genus Piper. Eleven other amides were purified including two new compounds with the unusual 3,4-dihydro-1(2H)-pyridinyl group. The new compounds were fully characterized by 2D NMR spectroscopy, which showed a slow exchange between two rotamers about the amide bond, and they were chemically synthesized. In view of the antitumor activity of the related piperlongumine, all of these amides plus four synthetic analogs were tested for cytotoxicity. The most active was the piperine homolog piperdardine, with an IC50 of 14 µM against HT 29 colon cancer cells. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

BACKGROUND: Originally the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 70 only comprised glucansucrases of lactic acid bacteria which synthesize α-glucan polymers from sucrose. Recently we have identified 2 novel subfamilies of GH70 enzymes represented by the Lactobacillus reuteri 121 GtfB and the

Correlations between amide proton temperature coefficients (Δσ HN /ΔT) and hydrogen bonds were investigated for a data set of 793 amides derived from 14 proteins. For amide protons showing temperature gradients more positive than -4.6 ppb/K there is a hydrogen bond predictivity value exceeding 85%. It increases to over 93% for amides within the range between -4 and -1 ppb/K. Detailed analysis shows an inverse proportionality between amide proton temperature coefficients and hydrogen bond lengths. Furthermore, for hydrogen bonds of similar bond lengths, values of temperature gradients in α-helices are on average 1 ppb/K more negative than in β-sheets. In consequence, a number of amide protons in α-helices involved in hydrogen bonds shorter than 2 A show Δσ HN /ΔT 10 helices and 98% in β-turns have temperature coefficients more positive than -4.6ppb/K. Ring current effect also significantly influences temperature coefficients of amide protons. In seven out of eight cases non-hydrogen bonded amides strongly deshielded by neighboring aromatic rings show temperature coefficients more positive than -2 ppb/K. In general, amide proton temperature gradients do not change with pH unless they correspond to conformational changes. Three examples of pH dependent equilibrium showing hydrogen bond formation at higher pH were found. In conclusion, amide proton temperature coefficients offer an attractive and simple way to confirm existence of hydrogen bonds in NMR determined structures

Nicotine stimulates the activity of mesolimbic dopamine neurons, which is believed to mediate the rewarding and addictive properties of tobacco use. Accumulating evidence suggests that the endocannabinoid system might play a major role in neuronal mechanisms underlying the rewarding properties of drugs of abuse, including nicotine. Here, we investigated the modulation of nicotine effects by the endocannabinoid system on dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area with electrophysiological techniques in vivo and in vitro. We discovered that pharmacological inhibition of fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme that catabolizes fatty acid ethanolamides, among which the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) is the best known, suppressed nicotine-induced excitation of dopamine cells. Importantly, this effect was mimicked by the administration of the FAAH substrates oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), but not methanandamide, the hydrolysis resistant analog of AEA. OEA and PEA are naturally occurring lipid signaling molecules structurally related to AEA, but devoid of affinity for cannabinoid receptors. They blocked the effects of nicotine by activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha), a nuclear receptor transcription factor involved in several aspects of lipid metabolism and energy balance. Activation of PPAR-alpha triggered a nongenomic stimulation of tyrosine kinases, which might lead to phosphorylation and negative regulation of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. These data indicate for the first time that the anorexic lipids OEA and PEA possess neuromodulatory properties as endogenous ligands of PPAR-alpha in the brain and provide a potential new target for the treatment of nicotine addiction.

Full Text Available The endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA is an antinociceptive lipid that is inactivated through cellular uptake and subsequent catabolism by fatty acidamidehydrolase (FAAH. Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs are intracellular carriers that deliver AEA and related N-acylethanolamines (NAEs to FAAH for hydrolysis. The mammalian brain expresses three FABP subtypes: FABP3, FABP5, and FABP7. Recent work from our group has revealed that pharmacological inhibition of FABPs reduces inflammatory pain in mice. The goal of the current work was to explore the effects of FABP inhibition upon nociception in diverse models of pain. We developed inhibitors with differential affinities for FABPs to elucidate the subtype(s that contributes to the antinociceptive effects of FABP inhibitors. Inhibition of FABPs reduced nociception associated with inflammatory, visceral, and neuropathic pain. The antinociceptive effects of FABP inhibitors mirrored their affinities for FABP5, while binding to FABP3 and FABP7 was not a predictor of in vivo efficacy. The antinociceptive effects of FABP inhibitors were mediated by cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα and FABP inhibition elevated brain levels of AEA, providing the first direct evidence that FABPs regulate brain endocannabinoid tone. These results highlight FABPs as novel targets for the development of analgesic and anti-inflammatory therapeutics.

A nickel-catalyzed deamidative cross-coupling reaction of amides with terminal alkynes as coupling partners was disclosed. This newly developed methodology allows the direct interconversion of amides to alkynes and enables a facile route for C(sp2)-C(sp) bond formation in a straightforward and mild fashion.

A nickel-catalyzed deamidative cross-coupling reaction of amides with terminal alkynes as coupling partners was disclosed. This newly developed methodology allows the direct interconversion of amides to alkynes and enables a facile route for C(sp2)-C(sp) bond formation in a straightforward and mild fashion.

A nickel-catalyzed deamidative cross-coupling reaction of amides with terminal alkynes as coupling partners was disclosed. This newly developed methodology allows the direct interconversion of amides to alkynes and enables a facile route for C(sp2)-C(sp) bond formation in a straightforward and mild fashion.

The 80% aqueous acetone extract from the fruit of Piper chaba (Piperaceae) was found to have hepatoprotective effects on D-galactosamine (D-GalN)/lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury in mice. From the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction, three new amides, piperchabamides E, G, and H, 33 amides, and four aromatic constituents were isolated. Among the isolates, several amide constituents inhibited D-GalN/tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced death of hepatocytes, and the following structural requirements were suggested: (i) the amide moiety is essential for potent activity; and (ii) the 1,9-decadiene structure between the benzene ring and the amide moiety tended to enhance the activity. Moreover, a principal constituent, piperine, exhibited strong in vivo hepatoprotective effects at doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg, po and its mode of action was suggested to depend on the reduced sensitivity of hepatocytes to TNF-alpha.

Rapid and high yielding synthesis of medium ring lactams was made possible through the use of a benzoylurea auxiliary that serves to stabilize a cisoid amide conformation, facilitating cyclization. The auxiliary is released after activation under the mild conditions required to deprotect a primary amine, such as acidolysis of a Boc group in the examples given here. This methodology is a promising tool for the synthesis of medium ring lactams, macrocyclic natural products and peptides.

In order to analyze the correlation between critical residues in the catalytic centre of BSH and the enzyme substrate specificity, seven mutants of Lactobacillus salivarius bile salt hydrolase (BSH1) were constructed by using the Escherichia coli pET-20b(+) gene expression system, rational design and site-directed mutagenesis. These BSH1 mutants exhibited different hydrolytic activities against various conjugated bile salts through substrate specificities comparison. Among the residues being tested, Cys2 and Thr264 were deduced as key sites for BSH1 to catalyze taurocholic acid and glycocholic acid, respectively. Moreover, Cys2 and Thr264 were important for keeping the catalytic activity of BSH1. The high conservative Cys2 was not the only active site, other mutant amino acid sites were possibly involved in substrate binding. These mutant residues might influence the space and shape of the substrate-binding pockets or the channel size for substrate passing through and entering active site of BSH1, thus, the hydrolytic activity of BSH1 was changed to different conjugated bile salt.

A gene encoding a protein homologous to known bacterial N-acetyl-muramidases has been cloned from Leuconostoc citreum by a PCR-based approach. The encoded protein, Mur, consists of 209 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 23,821 Da including a 31-amino-acid putative signal peptide. In contrast to most of the other known peptidoglycan hydrolases, L. citreum Mur protein does not contain amino acid repeats involved in cell wall binding. The purified L. citreum Mur protein was shown to exhibit peptidoglycan-hydrolyzing activity by renaturing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. An active chimeric protein was constructed by fusion of L. citreum Mur to the C-terminal repeat-containing domain (cA) of AcmA, the major autolysin of Lactococcus lactis. Expression of the Mur-cA fusion protein was able to complement an acmA mutation in L. lactis; normal cell separation after cell division was restored by Mur-cA expression.

During the search of antifungal natural products from terrestrial plants, a new long chained aromatic ester named grandiflorate along with spatazoate from Portulaca grandiflora and N-[2-methoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl) ethyl]-trans-cinnamide and aegeline from Solanum erianthum of Nigeria were isolated and tested against six fungal species. The known constituents have not been reported so far from mentioned investigated plants. Structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated with the aid of spectroscopic techniques including two dimensional NMR experiments. Among the compounds, the esters found more potent than amides against Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus. The new compound grandiflorate gave response against all tested fungal species while aegeline was found to give lowest inhibition during this study. (author)

During the search of antifungal natural products from terrestrial plants, a new long chained aromatic ester named grandiflorate along with spatazoate from Portulaca grandiflora and N-[2-methoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl) ethyl]-trans-cinnamide and aegeline from Solanum erianthum of Nigeria were isolated and tested against six fungal species. The known constituents have not been reported so far from mentioned investigated plants. Structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated with the aid of spectroscopic techniques including two dimensional NMR experiments. Among the compounds, the esters found more potent than amides against Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus. The new compound grandiflorate gave response against all tested fungal species while aegeline was found to give lowest inhibition during this study. (author)

Backbone amide hydrogen exchange measurements are an important source of information about the internal dynamics of proteins. Before such measurements can be interpreted unambiguously, contributions to hydrogen exchange rates from the chemical and physical environment of the amides must be taken into account. Membrane proteins are often solubilized in detergents, yet there have not been any systematic investigations of the possible effects detergents may have on the amide hydrogen exchange rates of proteins. To address this question, the authors have measured individual backbone and carboxyl-terminal amide exchange rates for the amphipathic tripeptide Leu-Val-Ile-amide dissolved in water and dodecyl sulfate micelles. Proton NMR spectroscopy was used to measure exchange using the direct exchange-out into D 2 O technique at 5 degree C and using an indirect steady-state saturation-transfer technique at 25 degree C. The broadening effect of micelle-incorporated spin-labeled fatty acid (12-doxylsterate) on the 1 H NMR spectra of both the detergent and the peptide resonances was used to demonstrate that the tripeptide is intimately associated with the micelle. These experiments help to explain the elevated pH min observed for backbone amides in the sodium dodecyl sulfate solubilized M13 coat protein

The volume-averaged amide link scission in the aromatic polyamide active layer of a reverse osmosis membrane upon exposure to free chlorine was quantified at a variety of free chlorine exposure times, concentrations, and pH and rinsing conditions. The results showed that (i) hydroxyl ions are needed for scission to occur, (ii) hydroxide-induced amide link scission is a strong function of exposure to hypochlorous acid, (iii) the ratio between amide links broken and chlorine atoms taken up increased with the chlorination pH and reached a maximum of ∼25%, (iv) polyamide disintegration occurs when high free chlorine concentrations, alkaline conditions, and high exposure times are combined, (v) amide link scission promotes further chlorine uptake, and (vi) scission at the membrane surface is unrepresentative of volume-averaged scission in the active layer. Our observations are consistent with previously proposed mechanisms describing amide link scission as a result of the hydrolysis of the N-chlorinated amidic N-C bond due to nucleophilic attack by hydroxyl ions. This study increases the understanding of the physicochemical changes that could occur for membranes in treatment plants using chlorine as an upstream disinfectant and the extent and rate at which those changes would occur.

Full Text Available 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO is the key enzyme responsible for the conversion of arachidonic acid to leukotrienes, a class of lipid mediators implicated in inflammatory disorders. In this paper, we describe the design, synthesis, and preliminary activity studies of novel clicked caffeic esters and amides as radical scavengers and 5-LO inhibitors. From known 5-LO inhibitor 3 as a lead, cinnamic esters 8a–h and amides 9a–h as well as caffeic esters 15a–h and amides 16a–h were synthesized by Cu(I-catalyzed [1,3]-dipolar cycloaddition with the appropriate azide precursors and terminal alkynes. All caffeic analogs are proved to be good radical scavengers (IC50: 10–20 μM. Esters 15g and 15f possessed excellent 5-LO inhibition activity in HEK293 cells and were equipotent with the known 5-LO inhibitor CAPE and more potent than Zileuton. Several synthesized esters possess activities rivaling Zileuton in stimulated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

As a result of APA labelling with /sup 99m/Tc reduced by SnCl 2 at pH 1.9 about 90% of the /sup 99m/Tc-APA complex was obtained. Experiments in vivo were carried out on 10 Swiss mice with implanted Ehrlich tumor. After 8 days the /sup 99m/Tc-APA complex was administered i.p. The ADF ratio tumor:blood was 2.5. Renoscintigraphy showed that the decline of renal activity in the stage when excretion prevailed (phase III) was slow and of the cumulative nature. Simple synthesis, labelling and low toxity of APA are the factors that advocate further experiments in investigating its usefulness for diagnostics. (author)

The amide I and II bands in myoglobin show a heterogeneous temperature dependence, with bands at 6.17 and 6.43 mu m which are more intense at low temperatures. The amide I band temperature dependence is on the long wavelength edge of the band, while the short wavelength side has almost...... can be used to determine the time it takes vibrational energy to flow into the hydration shell. We determine that vibrational energy flow to the hydration shell from the amide I takes approximately 20 ps to occur....

N,N-Dialkyl-amides (mono-amides) are known as extractants for U and Pu, and many studies have been carried out mainly by single-stage batch method. We have focused on two mono amides: N,N-di(2-ethylhexyl)-2,2-dimethylpropanamide (DEHDMPA) and N,N-di(2-ethylhexyl)butanamide (DEHBA), and proposed a multistage extraction process for recovering U and Pu by these mono-amides. A continuous counter-current experiment was carried out to demonstrate the validity of this process. This process consisted of two cycles, and the first cycle and the second cycle employed DEHDMPA and DEHBA as extractants, respectively. The feed solution for the first cycle was 5.1 mol/dm{sup 3} (M) nitric acid containing 0.92 M U, 1.6 mM Pu, and 0.6 mM Np. The raffinate collected in the first cycle was used as the feed for the second cycle. The ratios of U recovered in the U fraction and U-Pu fraction were 99.1% and 0.8%, respectively, and the ratios of U in the used solvents were <0.04%. The ratio of Pu recovered in the U-Pu fraction was 99.7%, and the ratio of Pu in the used solvents was in the order of 10{sup -3} - 10{sup -4}%. The concentration ratio of U with respect to Pu in the U-Pu fraction was 9, and this indicated that Pu was not isolated. The decontamination factor of U with respect to Pu in the U fraction was obtained as 4.5*10{sup 5}. These results supported the validity of the proposed process. (authors)

presence of histidine (His) and phenylalanine (Phe), but also to amide amino acids asparagine (Asn), glutamine (Gln) and Arg contents. In Cola sp., free amino acids varied significantly during these two processes indicating their high utilization.

Full Text Available Polyurethanes (PU are widely used synthetic polymers. The growing amount of PU used industrially has resulted in a worldwide increase of plastic wastes. The related environmental pollution as well as the limited availability of the raw materials based on petrochemicals requires novel solutions for their efficient degradation and recycling. The degradation of the polyester PU Impranil DLN by the polyester hydrolases LC cutinase (LCC, TfCut2, Tcur1278 and Tcur0390 was analyzed using a turbidimetric assay. The highest hydrolysis rates were obtained with TfCut2 and Tcur0390. TfCut2 also showed a significantly higher substrate affinity for Impranil DLN than the other three enzymes, indicated by a higher adsorption constant K. Significant weight losses of the solid thermoplastic polyester PU (TPU Elastollan B85A-10 and C85A-10 were detected as a result of the enzymatic degradation by all four polyester hydrolases. Within a reaction time of 200 h at 70 °C, LCC caused weight losses of up to 4.9% and 4.1% of Elastollan B85A-10 and C85A-10, respectively. Gel permeation chromatography confirmed a preferential degradation of the larger polymer chains. Scanning electron microscopy revealed cracks at the surface of the TPU cubes as a result of enzymatic surface erosion. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the observed weight losses were a result of the cleavage of ester bonds of the polyester TPU.

The mechanism of the cell cycle regulatory peptidyl prolyl isomerase (PPIase), Pin1, was investigated using reduced-amide inhibitors designed to mimic the twisted-amide transition state. Inhibitors, R-pSer-Ψ[CH(2)N]-Pro-2-(indol-3-yl)ethylamine, 1 [R = fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)] and 2 (R = Ac), of Pin1 were synthesized and bioassayed. Inhibitor 1 had an IC(50) value of 6.3 μM, which is 4.5-fold better for Pin1 than our comparable ground-state analogue, a cis-amide alkene isostere-containing inhibitor. The change of Fmoc to Ac in 2 improved aqueous solubility for structural determination and resulted in an IC(50) value of 12 μM. The X-ray structure of the complex of 2 bound to Pin1 was determined to 1.76 Å resolution. The structure revealed that the reduced amide adopted a conformation similar to the proposed twisted-amide transition state of Pin1, with a trans-pyrrolidine conformation of the prolyl ring. A similar conformation of substrate would be destabilized relative to the planar amide conformation. Three additional reduced amides, with Thr replacing Ser and l- or d-pipecolate (Pip) replacing Pro, were slightly weaker inhibitors of Pin1.

The mechanism of the cell cycle regulatory peptidyl prolyl isomerase (PPIase), Pin1, was investigated using reduced-amide inhibitors designed to mimic the twisted-amide transition state. Inhibitors, R–pSer–Ψ[CH2N]–Pro–2-(indol-3-yl)-ethylamine, 1 (R = fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl, Fmoc), and 2 (R = Ac), of Pin1 were synthesized and bioassayed. Inhibitor 1 had an IC50 value of 6.3 μM, which is 4.5-fold better inhibition for Pin1 than our comparable ground state analogue, a cis-amide alkene isostere containing inhibitor. The change of Fmoc to Ac in 2 improved aqueous solubility for structural determination, and resulted in an IC50 value of 12 μM. The X-ray structure of the complex of 2 bound to Pin1 was determined to 1.76 Å resolution. The structure revealed that the reduced amide adopted a conformation similar to the proposed twisted-amide transition state of Pin1, with a trans-pyrrolidine conformation of the prolyl ring. A similar conformation of substrate would be destabilized relative to the planar amide conformation. Three additional reduced amides, with Thr replacing Ser, and l- or d-pipecolate (Pip) replacing Pro, were slightly weaker inhibitors of Pin1. PMID:21980916

Full Text Available Abstract Background Staphylococcus epidermidis has emerged as one of the most important nosocomial pathogens, mainly because of its ability to colonize implanted biomaterials by forming a biofilm. Extensive studies are focused on the molecular mechanisms involved in biofilm formation. The LytSR two-component regulatory system regulates autolysis and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus. However, the role of LytSR played in S. epidermidis remained unknown. Results In the present study, we demonstrated that lytSR knock-out in S. epidermidis did not alter susceptibility to Triton X-100 induced autolysis. Quantitative murein hydrolase assay indicated that disruption of lytSR in S. epidermidis resulted in decreased activities of extracellular murein hydrolases, although zymogram showed no apparent differences in murein hydrolase patterns between S. epidermidis strain 1457 and its lytSR mutant. Compared to the wild-type counterpart, 1457ΔlytSR produced slightly more biofilm, with significantly decreased dead cells inside. Microarray analysis showed that lytSR mutation affected the transcription of 164 genes (123 genes were upregulated and 41 genes were downregulated. Specifically, genes encoding proteins responsible for protein synthesis, energy metabolism were downregulated, while genes involved in amino acid and nucleotide biosynthesis, amino acid transporters were upregulated. Impaired ability to utilize pyruvate and reduced activity of arginine deiminase was observed in 1457ΔlytSR, which is consistent with the microarray data. Conclusions The preliminary results suggest that in S. epidermidis LytSR two-component system regulates extracellular murein hydrolase activity, bacterial cell death and pyruvate utilization. Based on the microarray data, it appears that lytSR inactivation induces a stringent response. In addition, LytSR may indirectly enhance biofilm formation by altering the metabolic status of the bacteria.

Theranostic nano-polyplexes containing gene and imaging agents hold a great promise for tumor diagnosis and therapy. In this work, we develop a group of new gadolinium (Gd)-chelated cationic poly(urethane amide)s for gene delivery and T{sub 1}-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Cationic poly(urethane amide)s (denoted as CPUAs) having multiple disulfide bonds, urethane and amide linkages were synthesized by stepwise polycondensation reaction between 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine and a mixture of di(4-nitrophenyl)-2, 2′-dithiodiethanocarbonate (DTDE-PNC) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) dianhydride at varied molar ratios. Then, Gd-chelated CPUAs (denoted as GdCPUAs) were produced by chelating Gd(III) ions with DTPA residues of CPUAs. These GdCPUAs could condense gene into nanosized and positively-charged polyplexes in a physiological condition and, however, liberated gene in an intracellular reductive environment. In vitro transfection experiments revealed that the GdCPUA at a DTDE-PNC/DTPA residue molar ratio of 85/15 induced the highest transfection efficiency in different cancer cells. This efficiency was higher than that yielded with 25 kDa branched polyethylenimine as a positive control. GdCPUAs and their polyplexes exhibited low cytotoxicity when an optimal transfection activity was detected. Moreover, GdCPUAs may serve as contrast agents for T{sub 1}-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The results of this work indicate that biodegradable Gd-chelated cationic poly(urethane amide) copolymers have high potential for tumor theranostics. - Highlights: • Novel cationic gadolinium-chelated poly(urethane amide)s (GdCPUAs) are prepared. • GdCPUAs can induce a high transfection efficacy in different cancer cells. • GdCPUAs reveal good cyto-compatibility against cancer cells. • GdCPUAs may be applied as T{sub 1}-contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. • GdCPUAs hold high potential for cancer theranostics.

At2g44920 from Arabidopsis thaliana is a pentapeptide-repeat protein (PRP) composed of 25 repeats capped by N- and C-terminal α-helices. PRP structures are dominated by four-sided right-handed β-helices typically consisting of mixtures of type II and type IV β-turns. PRPs adopt repeated five-residue (Rfr) folds with an Rfr consensus sequence (STAV)(D/N)(L/F)(S/T/R)(X). Unlike other PRPs, At2g44920 consists exclusively of type II β-turns. At2g44920 is predicted to be located in the thylakoid lumen although its biochemical function remains unknown. Given its unusual structure, we investigated the biophysical properties of At2g44920 as a representative of the β-helix family to determine if it had exceptional global stability, backbone dynamics, or amide hydrogen exchange rates. Circular dichroism measurements yielded a melting point of 62.8°C, indicating unexceptional global thermal stability. Nuclear spin relaxation measurements indicated that the Rfr-fold core was rigid with order parameters ranging from 0.7 to 0.9. At2g44920 exhibited a striking range of amide hydrogen exchange rates spanning 10 orders of magnitude, with lifetimes ranging from minutes to several months. A weak correlation was found among hydrogen exchange rates, hydrogen bonding energies, and amino acid solvent-accessible areas. Analysis of contributions from fast (approximately picosecond to nanosecond) backbone dynamics to amide hydrogen exchange rates revealed that the average order parameter of amides undergoing fast exchange was significantly smaller compared to those undergoing slow exchange. Importantly, the activation energies for amide hydrogen exchange were found to be generally higher for the slowest exchanging amides in the central Rfr coil and decreased toward the terminal coils. This could be explained by assuming that the concerted motions of two preceding or following coils required for hydrogen bond disruption and amide hydrogen exchange have a higher activation energy

The trans-epoxysuccinyl amide group as a biologically active moiety in cysteine protease inhibitors such as loxistatin acid E64c has been used as a benchmark system for theoretical studies of environmental effects on the electron density of small active ingredients in relation to their biological activity. Here, the synthesis and the electronic properties of the smallest possible active site model compound are reported to close the gap between the unknown experimental electron density of trans-epoxysuccinyl amides and the well-known function of related drugs. Intramolecular substituent effects are separated from intermolecular crystal packing effects on the electron density, which allows us to predict the conditions under which an experimental electron density investigation on trans-epoxysuccinyl amides will be possible. In this context, the special importance of the carboxylic acid function in the model compound for both crystal packing and biological activity is revealed through the novel tool of model energy analysis.

Full Text Available Amide's a Medical Image Data Examiner (AMIDE has been developed as a user-friendly, open-source software tool for displaying and analyzing multimodality volumetric medical images. Central to the package's abilities to simultaneously display multiple data sets (e.g., PET, CT, MRI and regions of interest is the on-demand data reslicing implemented within the program. Data sets can be freely shifted, rotated, viewed, and analyzed with the program automatically handling interpolation as needed from the original data. Validation has been performed by comparing the output of AMIDE with that of several existing software packages. AMIDE runs on UNIX, Macintosh OS X, and Microsoft Windows platforms, and it is freely available with source code under the terms of the GNU General Public License.

The amide functional group is one of Nature’s key functional and structural elements, most notably within peptides. Amides are also key intermediates in the preparation of a diverse range of therapeutic small molecules. Its construction using available methods focuses principally upon dehydrative approaches, although oxidative and radical-based methods are representative alternatives. During the carbon-nitrogen bond forming step in most every example, the carbon and nitrogen bear electrophilic and nucleophilic character, respectively. Here we show that activation of amines and nitroalkanes with an electrophilic iodine source in wet THF can lead directly to amide products. Preliminary observations support a mechanistic construct in which reactant polarity is reversed (umpolung) during C-N bond formation relative to traditional approaches. The use of nitroalkanes as acyl anion equivalents provides a conceptually innovative approach to amide and peptide synthesis, and one that might ultimately provide for efficient peptide synthesis that is fully reliant on enantioselective methods. PMID:20577205

Synthesis and characterization of new optically active poly(amide-imide)s based on N -trimellitimido- ... Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia ... (DMAc), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) at room temperature.

Microbial transformation rate constants were determined for seven amides in natural pond water. A second-order mathematical rate expression served as the model for describing the microbial transformation. Also investigated was the relationship between the infrared spectra and the...

The invention provides a method for producing amides via the reaction of aldehydes and amines with oxygen adsorbed on a metallic silver or silver alloy catalyst. An exemplary reaction is shown in Scheme 1: (I), (II), (III). ##STR00001##

A series of novel amide-based small molecule inhibitors of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) was explored. The synthesis and the structure-activity relationships (SARs) derived from in vitro studies are described.

In order to optimize the use of agaves for commercial applications, an understanding of fructan metabolism in these species at the molecular and genetic level is essential. Based on transcriptome data, this report describes the identification and molecular characterization of cDNAs and deduced amino acid sequences for genes encoding fructosyltransferases, invertases and fructan exohydrolases (FEH) (enzymes belonging to plant glycoside hydrolase family 32) from four different agave species (A. tequilana, A. deserti, A. victoriae-reginae, and A. striata). Conserved amino acid sequences and a hypervariable domain allowed classification of distinct isoforms for each enzyme type. Notably however neither 1-FFT nor 6-SFT encoding cDNAs were identified. In silico analysis revealed that distinct isoforms for certain enzymes found in a single species, showed different levels and tissue specific patterns of expression whereas in other cases expression patterns were conserved both within the species and between different species. Relatively high levels of in silico expression for specific isoforms of both invertases and fructosyltransferases were observed in floral tissues in comparison to vegetative tissues such as leaves and stems and this pattern was confirmed by Quantitative Real Time PCR using RNA obtained from floral and leaf tissue of A. tequilana. Thin layer chromatography confirmed the presence of fructans with degree of polymerization (DP) greater than DP three in both immature buds and fully opened flowers also obtained from A. tequilana.

Full Text Available In order to optimize the use of agaves for commercial applications, an understanding of fructan metabolism in these species at the molecular and genetic level is essential. Based on transcriptome data, this report describes the identification and molecular characterization of cDNAs and deduced amino acid sequences for genes encoding fructosyltransferases, invertases and fructan exohydrolases (enzymes belonging to plant glycoside hydrolase family 32 from four different agave species (A. tequilana, A. deserti, A. victoriae-reginae and A. striata. Conserved amino acid sequences and a hypervariable domain allowed classification of distinct isoforms for each enzyme type. Notably however neither 1-FFT nor 6-SFT encoding cDNAs were identified. In silico analysis revealed that distinct isoforms for certain enzymes found in a single species, showed different levels and tissue specific patterns of expression whereas in other cases expression patterns were conserved both within the species and between different species. Relatively high levels of in silico expression for specific isoforms of both invertases and fructosyltransferases were observed in floral tissues in comparison to vegetative tissues such as leaves and stems and this pattern was confirmed by Quantitative Real Time PCR using RNA obtained from floral and leaf tissue of A. tequilana. Thin layer chromatography confirmed the presence of fructans with degree of polymerization (DP greater than DP three in both immature buds and fully opened flowers also obtained from A. tequilana.

Full Text Available Catalytic characteristics of hexahistidine-containing organophosphorus hydrolase (His6-OPH and its enzyme-polyelectrolyte complexes with poly-l-glutamic acid or poly-l-aspartic acid (His6-OPH/PLD50, hydrolyzing organophosphorous compounds, and N-acyl homoserine lactones were studied in the presence of various antibiotics (ampicillin, gentamicin, kanamycin, and rifampicin. The antibiotics at concentrations below 1 g·L−1 had a negligible inhibiting effect on the His6-OPH activity. Mixed inhibition of His6-OPH was established for higher antibiotic concentrations, and rifampicin was the most potent inhibitor. Stabilization of the His6-OPH activity was observed in the presence of antibiotics at a concentration of 0.2 g·L−1 during exposure at 25–41 °C. Molecular docking of antibiotics to the surface of His6-OPH dimer revealed the antibiotics binding both to the area near active centers of the enzyme subunits and to the region of contact between subunits of the dimer. Such interactions between antibiotics and His6-OPH were verified with Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy. Considering all the results of the study, the combination of His6-OPH/PLD50 with β-lactam antibiotic ampicillin was established as the optimal one in terms of exhibition and persistence of maximal lactonase activity of the enzyme.

XGH (xylogalacturonan hydrolase; GH 28) is an enzyme that is capable of degrading XGA (xylogalacturonan), which is a polymer of α-D-galacturonic acid, highly substituted with β-D-xylose. XGA is present in cell walls of various plants and exudates, such as gum tragacanth. XGA oligosaccharides were derived from an XGH digestion of gum tragacanth, then fractionated, and analysed for their sugar composition and structure by matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization–time-of-flight MS and nanospray MS. Several oligosaccharides from XGA were identified with different galacturonic acid/xylose ratios including five oligosaccharide isomers. Although XGH can act as an endo-enzyme, product-progression profiling showed that the disaccharide GalAXyl was predominantly produced from XGA by XGH, which indicated also an exolytic action. The latter was further supported by degradation studies of purified oligosaccharide GalA4Xyl3. It was shown that XGH acted from the non-reducing end towards the reducing end of this oligosaccharide, and showed the processive character of XGH. The results from this study further show that although XGH prefers to act between two xylosidated GalA units, it tolerates unsubstituted GalA units in its −1 and +1 subsites. PMID:15560751

Family 28 glycoside hydrolases (polygalacturonases) are found in organisms across the plant, fungal and bacterial kingdoms, where they are central to diverse biological functions such as fruit ripening, biomass recycling and plant pathogenesis. The structures of several polygalacturonases have been reported; however, all of these enzymes utilize an endo-mode of digestion, which generates a spectrum of oligosaccharide products with varying degrees of polymerization. The structure of a complementary exo-acting polygalacturonase and an accompanying explanation of the molecular determinants for its specialized activity have been noticeably lacking. We present the structure of an exopolygalacturonase from Yersinia enterocolitica, YeGH28 in a native form (solved to 2.19 {angstrom} resolution) and a digalacturonic acid product complex (solved to 2.10 {angstrom} resolution). The activity of YeGH28 is due to inserted stretches of amino acid residues that transform the active site from the open-ended channel observed in the endopolygalacturonases to a closed pocket that restricts the enzyme to the exclusive attack of the non-reducing end of oligogalacturonide substrates. In addition, YeGH28 possesses a fused FN3 domain with unknown function, the first such structure described in pectin active enzymes.

Highlights: • The lower limits of halide incorporation in lithium amide have been investigated. • The only amide iodide stoichiometry observed was Li{sub 3}(NH{sub 2}){sub 2}I. • Solid solutions were observed in both the amide chloride and amide bromide systems. • A 46% reduction in chloride content resulted in a new phase: Li{sub 7}(NH{sub 2}){sub 6}Cl. • New low-chloride phase maintained improved H{sub 2} desorption properties of Li{sub 4}(NH{sub 2}){sub 3}Cl. - Abstract: An investigation has been carried out into the lower limits of halide incorporation in lithium amide (LiNH{sub 2}). It was found that the lithium amide iodide Li{sub 3}(NH{sub 2}){sub 2}I was unable to accommodate any variation in stoichiometry. In contrast, some variation in stoichiometry was accommodated in Li{sub 7}(NH{sub 2}){sub 6}Br, as shown by a decrease in unit cell volume when the bromide content was reduced. The amide chloride Li{sub 4}(NH{sub 2}){sub 3}Cl was found to adopt either a rhombohedral or a cubic structure depending on the reaction conditions. Reduction in chloride content generally resulted in a mixture of phases, but a new rhombohedral phase with the stoichiometry Li{sub 7}(NH{sub 2}){sub 6}Cl was observed. In comparison to LiNH{sub 2}, this new low-chloride phase exhibited similar improved hydrogen desorption properties as Li{sub 4}(NH{sub 2}){sub 3}Cl but with a much reduced weight penalty through addition of chloride. Attempts to dope lithium amide with fluoride ions have so far proved unsuccessful.

The N,N-dialkylamides and the N,N'-tetraalkyl. 2-alkyl 1,3-diamide propane are two promising classes of extractants which could replace advantageously the organophosphorus molecules for the separations of the actinide. The main advantages of the amides lie in their complete incinerability and the small interference of their radiolytic and hydrolytic degradation products for the processes. The actinide extraction chemistry with various amides is reviewed in this paper

An organocatalytic and highly regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective intermolecular haloetherification and haloesterification reaction of allyl amides is reported. A variety of alkene substituents and substitution patterns are compatible with this chemistry. Notably, electronically unbiased alkene substrates exhibit exquisite regio- and diastereoselectivity for the title transformation. We also demonstrate that the same catalytic system can be used in both chlorination and bromination reactions of allyl amides with a variety of nucleophiles with little or no modification. PMID:26110812

The primary structure of pancreatic polypeptide from the teleostean fish, Cottus scorpius (daddy sculpin) was established as: YPPQPESPGGNASPEDWAKYHAAVRHYVNLITRQRYNH2 The presence of a COOH-terminally alpha-amidated amino acid was established using an HPLC method of general applicability. Although the peptide shows strong homology towards anglerfish pancreatic polypeptide (86%), homology towards porcine peptide YY (PYY) (61%) and porcine neuropeptide Y (NPY) (61%) was greater than towards porcine pancreatic polypeptide (PP) (47%). This result supports suggestions that the gene duplication events which led to PP, NPY and PYY formation took place after the time of divergence of fish and mammals.

Addition. of amides containing a H-CO(NH 2 ) or CH 3 -CO(NH 2 ) framework to BSA results in a fluorescence quenching. On the contrary, fluorescence enhancement with a shift in the emission maximum towards the blue region is observed on the addition of dimethylformamide (DMF) (H-CON(CH 3 ) 2 ). Fluorescence quenching accompanied initially with a shift towards the blue region and a subsequent red shift in the emission maximum of BSA is observed on the addition of formamide (H-CO(NH 2 )), whereas a shift in the emission maximum only towards the red region results on the addition of acetamide (CH 3 -CONH 2 ). Steady state emission spectral studies reveal that amides that possess a free NH 2 and N(CH 3 ) 2 moiety result in fluorescence quenching and enhancement of BSA respectively. The 3D contour spectral studies of BSA with formamide exhibit a shift in the emission towards the red region accompanied with fluorescence quenching, which indicates that the tryptophan residues of the BSA are exposed to a more polar environment. Circular Dichroism (CD) studies of BSA with amides resulted in a gradual decrease in the α-helical content of BSA at 208 nm, which confirms that there is a conformational change in the native structure of BSA. Time-resolved fluorescence studies illustrate that the extent of buried trytophan moieties exposed to the aqueous phase on the addition of amides follows the order DMF 2 hydrogen and the carbonyl oxygen of amide form a concerted hydrogen-bonding network with the carbonyl oxygen and the amino moieties of amino acids respectively is established from fluorescence methods. -- Highlights: • The manuscript deals with the absorption, emission and fluorescence lifetime studies of Bovine Serum Albumin with amides in aqueous medium. • Fluorescence is correlated to the presence of fluorescing amino acid, tryptophan located in a heterogeneous environment. • This article provides an insight about the fluorescence spectral characteristics of a protein

Full Text Available Amides are important atmospheric organic–nitrogen compounds. Hydrogen bonded complexes of methanol (MeOH with amides (formamide, N-methylformamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, acetamide, N-methylacetamide and N,N-dimethylacetamide have been investigated. The carbonyl oxygen of the amides behaves as a hydrogen bond acceptor and the NH group of the amides acts as a hydrogen bond donor. The dominant hydrogen bonding interaction occurs between the carbonyl oxygen and the OH group of methanol as well as the interaction between the NH group of amides and the oxygen of methanol. However, the hydrogen bonds between the CH group and the carbonyl oxygen or the oxygen of methanol are also important for the overall stability of the complexes. Comparable red shifts of the C=O, NH- and OH-stretching transitions were found in these MeOH–amide complexes with considerable intensity enhancement. Topological analysis shows that the electron density at the bond critical points of the complexes fall in the range of hydrogen bonding criteria, and the Laplacian of charge density of the O–H∙∙∙O hydrogen bond slightly exceeds the upper value of the Laplacian criteria. The energy decomposition analysis further suggests that the hydrogen bonding interaction energies can be mainly attributed to the electrostatic, exchange and dispersion components.

Amides are important atmospheric organic-nitrogen compounds. Hydrogen bonded complexes of methanol (MeOH) with amides (formamide, N -methylformamide, N , N -dimethylformamide, acetamide, N -methylacetamide and N , N -dimethylacetamide) have been investigated. The carbonyl oxygen of the amides behaves as a hydrogen bond acceptor and the NH group of the amides acts as a hydrogen bond donor. The dominant hydrogen bonding interaction occurs between the carbonyl oxygen and the OH group of methanol as well as the interaction between the NH group of amides and the oxygen of methanol. However, the hydrogen bonds between the CH group and the carbonyl oxygen or the oxygen of methanol are also important for the overall stability of the complexes. Comparable red shifts of the C=O, NH- and OH-stretching transitions were found in these MeOH-amide complexes with considerable intensity enhancement. Topological analysis shows that the electron density at the bond critical points of the complexes fall in the range of hydrogen bonding criteria, and the Laplacian of charge density of the O-H∙∙∙O hydrogen bond slightly exceeds the upper value of the Laplacian criteria. The energy decomposition analysis further suggests that the hydrogen bonding interaction energies can be mainly attributed to the electrostatic, exchange and dispersion components.

Temperature coefficients have been measured for backbone amide 1 H and 15 N nuclei in the B1 domain of protein G (GB1), using temperatures in the range 283–313 K, and pH values from 2.0 to 9.0. Many nuclei display pH-dependent coefficients, which were fitted to one or two pK a values. 1 H coefficients showed the expected behaviour, in that hydrogen-bonded amides have less negative values, but for those amides involved in strong hydrogen bonds in regular secondary structure there is a negative correlation between strength of hydrogen bond and size of temperature coefficient. The best correlation to temperature coefficient is with secondary shift, indicative of a very approximately uniform thermal expansion. The largest pH-dependent changes in coefficient are for amides in loops adjacent to sidechain hydrogen bonds rather than the amides involved directly in hydrogen bonds, indicating that the biggest determinant of the temperature coefficient is temperature-dependent loss of structure, not hydrogen bonding. Amide 15 N coefficients have no clear relationship with structure.

Full Text Available In the crystal structure of the title compound, C11H13NO3, the conformations of the N—H and C=O bonds in the amide segment are anti to each other, and that of the amide H atom is anti to the meta-methyl group in the benzene ring. Furthermore, the conformations of the amide oxygen and the carbonyl O atom of the acid segment are also anti to the adjacent –CH2 groups. The C=O and O—H bonds of the acid group are syn to each other. In the crystal, the molecules are packed into infinite chains through intermolecular N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds.

Two new polyamide extractants has been selected, namely UAM-069 and UAM-081, both synthesized at the University of Madrid (UAM), to develop a new separation process. These two ligands are bis-diglycol-amides, consisting of two diglycol-amides moieties grafted on an aromatic platform (UAM-069) or on an aliphatic linker (UAM-081), respectively. The extraction of actinides and fission products was studied from synthetic PUREX raffinate. Actinides(III) and lanthanides(III) are highly extracted from acidities > 1 mol/L HNO{sub 3}. The extraction of Zr, Mo and Pd could be suppressed with complexing agents such as oxalic acid and HEDTA. In the present paper the results of the batch extraction results are presented which serve for the development of a new continuous counter current process to be tested in centrifugal contactors. (authors)

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) encounter various types of stress during industrial processes and gastrointestinal transit. Catalase (CAT) and bile salt hydrolase (BSH) can protect bacteria from oxidative stress or damage caused by bile salts by decomposing hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) or deconjugating the bile salts, respectively. Lactobacillus casei is a valuable probiotic strain and is often deficient in both CAT and BSH. In order to improve the resistance of L. casei to both oxidative and bile salts stress, the catalase gene katA from L. sakei and the bile salt hydrolase gene bsh1 from L. plantarum were coexpressed in L. casei HX01. The enzyme activities of CAT and BSH were 2.41 μmol H(2)O(2)/min/10(8) colony-forming units (CFU) and 2.11 μmol glycine/min/ml in the recombinant L. casei CB, respectively. After incubation with 8 mM H(2)O(2), survival ratio of L. casei CB was 40-fold higher than that of L. casei CK. Treatment of L. casei CB with various concentrations of sodium glycodeoxycholate (GDCA) showed that ~10(5) CFU/ml cells survived after incubation with 0.5% GDCA, whereas almost all the L. casei CK cells were killed when treaded with 0.4% GDCA. These results indicate that the coexpression of CAT and BSH confers high-level resistance to both oxidative and bile salts stress conditions in L. casei HX01.

Late soil-thawing period is a critical stage connecting winter and growth season. The significant temperature fluctuation at this stage might have strong effects on soil ecological processes. In order to understand the soil biochemical processes at this stage in the subalpine/alpine forests of west Sichuan, soil samples were collected from the representative forests including primary fir forest, fir and birch mixed forest, and secondary fir forest in March 5-April 25, 2009, with the activities of soil invertase, urease, and phosphatase (neutral, acid and alkaline phosphatases) measured. In soil frozen period, the activities of the three enzymes in test forests still kept relatively higher. With the increase of soil temperature, the activities of hydrolases at the early stage of soil-thawing decreased rapidly after a sharp increase, except for neutral phosphatease. Thereafter, there was an increase in the activities of urease and phosphatase. Relative to soil mineral layer, soil organic layer had higher hydrolase activity in late soil-thawing period, and showed more obvious responses to the variation of soil temperature.

The complex microbiome of the rumen functions as an effective system for the conversion of plant cell wall biomass to microbial protein, short chain fatty acids, and gases. As such, it provides a unique genetic resource for plant cell wall degrading microbial enzymes that could be used in the production of biofuels. The rumen and gastrointestinal tract harbor a dense and complex microbiome. To gain a greater understanding of the ecology and metabolic potential of this microbiome, we used comparative metagenomics (phylotype analysis and SEED subsystems-based annotations) to examine randomly sampled pyrosequence data from 3 fiber-adherent microbiomes and 1 pooled liquid sample (a mixture of the liquid microbiome fractions from the same bovine rumens). Even though the 3 animals were fed the same diet, the community structure, predicted phylotype, and metabolic potentials in the rumen were markedly different with respect to nutrient utilization. A comparison of the glycoside hydrolase and cellulosome functional genes revealed that in the rumen microbiome, initial colonization of fiber appears to be by organisms possessing enzymes that attack the easily available side chains of complex plant polysaccharides and not the more recalcitrant main chains, especially cellulose. Furthermore, when compared with the termite hindgut microbiome, there are fundamental differences in the glycoside hydrolase content that appear to be diet driven for either the bovine rumen (forages and legumes) or the termite hindgut (wood).

Using N-methoxymethyl-N-organylcarbamoyl(trimethyl)silanes as secondary amides source, the direct transformation of aryl halides into the corresponding secondary aromatic amides via palladium-catalyzed aminocarbonylation is described. The reactions tolerated a broad range of functional groups on the aryl ring except big steric hindrance of substituent. The types and the relative position of substituents on the aryl ring impact the coupling efficiency.

Full Text Available Our knowledge about adipocyte metabolism and development is steadily growing, yet many players are still undefined. Here, we show that α/β-hydrolase domain containing protein 15 (Abhd15 is a direct and functional target gene of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ, the master regulator of adipogenesis. In line, Abhd15 is mainly expressed in brown and white adipose tissue and strongly upregulated during adipogenesis in various murine and human cell lines. Stable knockdown of Abhd15 in 3T3-L1 cells evokes a striking differentiation defect, as evidenced by low lipid accumulation and decreased expression of adipocyte marker genes. In preconfluent cells, knockdown of Abhd15 leads to impaired proliferation, which is caused by apoptosis, as we see an increased SubG1 peak, caspase 3/7 activity, and BAX protein expression as well as a reduction in anti-apoptotic BCL-2 protein. Furthermore, apoptosis-inducing amounts of palmitic acid evoke a massive increase of Abhd15 expression, proposing an apoptosis-protecting role for ABHD15. On the other hand, in mature adipocytes physiological (i.e. non-apoptotic concentrations of palmitic acid down-regulate Abhd15 expression. Accordingly, we found that the expression of Abhd15 in adipose tissue is reduced in physiological situations with high free fatty acid levels, like high-fat diet, fasting, and aging as well as in genetically obese mice. Collectively, our results position ABHD15 as an essential component in the development of adipocytes as well as in apoptosis, thereby connecting two substantial factors in the regulation of adipocyte number and size. Together with its intricate regulation by free fatty acids, ABHD15 might be an intriguing new target in obesity and diabetes research.

The Feasibility study (FS) on commercialized FR cycle systems has been carried out in Japan. In this Feasibility study, 'Advanced Aqueous' reprocessing was designed as a new reprocessing concept to enhance nuclear non-proliferation by recycling U, Pu and minor actinides (MA) with some fission products (FP). The crystallization and U(VI)/TRU(transuranics) co-extraction technique have been selected as candidate technique in the 'Advanced Aqueous' reprocessing. In JAEA, the result of Feasibility study was received and Fast Reactor Cycle Technology Development Project (FaCT) was started. In the nuclear spent fuel reprocessing, FBR spent fuels will coexist with LWR spent fuels for several decades until FBR cycle begins to operate. For the treatment of LWR spent fuels, high decontamination factor for FP was required for U(VI) storage, and solvent extraction technique was selected in the nuclear fuel treatment. In our laboratory, N,N-di-alkyl carboxy-amides have been developed as extractant based on solvent extraction technique for one of a back-up technology of 'Advanced Aqueous' reprocessing in FBR spent fuel treatments. N,N-di-alkyl carboxy-amides were noted as one of the alternative extractant of tri-butylphosphate (TBP) in the field of nuclear fuel reprocessing. Extraction behavior of U(VI) and Pu(IV) with N,N-di-alkyl carboxy-amides was almost similar to those with TBP. N,N-di-alkyl carboxy-amides have some advantages, namely, their complete incinerability (CHON principle) and high stability for hydrolysis and radiolysis. Their main degradation products are carboxylic acids and secondary amines which hardly affect the separation of U(VI) and Pu(IV) from fission products. Further, the synthesis of N,N-di-alkyl carboxy-amides was relatively easy with reaction of carboxylic chloride and secondary amine. The main purpose of this solvent extraction technique using N,N-di-alkyl carboxy-amides is selective separation of Uranium(VI) with branched N,N-di-alkyl carboxy-amides

Past studies of prebiotic peptide bond synthesis have generally been carried out in the acidic to neutral pH range [1, 2]. Here we report a new process for peptide bond (amide) synthesis in the neutral to alkaline pH range that involves simple dry-down heating of amino acids in the presence of glycerol and bicarbonate. Glycerol was included in the reaction mixture as a solvent and to provide hydroxyl groups for possible formation of ester intermediates previously implicated in peptide bond synthesis under acidic to neutral conditions [1]. Bicarbonate was added to raise the reaction pH to 8-9.

From aerial parts of Dianthus japonicus, six new and seven known oleanane-type triterpene saponins were isolated. The structures of the new saponins, named dianthosaponins A-F, were elucidated by means of high resolution mass spectrometry, and extensive inspection of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopic data. A new C-glycosyl flavone, a glycosidic derivative of anthranilic acidamide and a maltol glucoside were also isolated.

An outstanding challenge toward efficient production of biofuels and value-added chemicals from plant biomass is the impact that lignocellulose-derived inhibitors have on microbial fermentations. Elucidating the mechanisms that underlie their toxicity is critical for developing strategies to overcome them. Here, using Escherichia coli as a model system, we investigated the metabolic effects and toxicity mechanisms of feruloyl amide and coumaroyl amide, the predominant phenolic compounds in ammonia-pretreated biomass hydrolysates. Using metabolomics, isotope tracers, and biochemical assays, we showed that these two phenolic amides act as potent and fast-acting inhibitors of purine and pyrimidine biosynthetic pathways. Feruloyl or coumaroyl amide exposure leads to (i) a rapid buildup of 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP), a key precursor in nucleotide biosynthesis, (ii) a rapid decrease in the levels of pyrimidine biosynthetic intermediates, and (iii) a long-term generalized decrease in nucleotide and deoxynucleotide levels. Tracer experiments using 13C-labeled sugars and [15N]ammonia demonstrated that carbon and nitrogen fluxes into nucleotides and deoxynucleotides are inhibited by these phenolic amides. We found that these effects are mediated via direct inhibition of glutamine amidotransferases that participate in nucleotide biosynthetic pathways. In particular, feruloyl amide is a competitive inhibitor of glutamine PRPP amidotransferase (PurF), which catalyzes the first committed step in de novo purine biosynthesis. Finally, external nucleoside supplementation prevents phenolic amide-mediated growth inhibition by allowing nucleotide biosynthesis via salvage pathways. The results presented here will help in the development of strategies to overcome toxicity of phenolic compounds and facilitate engineering of more efficient microbial producers of biofuels and chemicals. PMID:26070680

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are potent endogenous analgesic metabolites produced from arachidonic acid by cytochrome P450s (P450s). Metabolism of EETs by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) reduces their activity, while their stabilization by sEH inhibition decreases both inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Here, we tested the complementary hypothesis that increasing the level of EETs through induction of P450s by omeprazole (OME), can influence pain related signaling by itself, and potentiate the anti-hyperalgesic effect of sEH inhibitor. Rats were treated with OME (100 mg/kg/day, p.o., 7 days), sEH inhibitor TPPU (3 mg/kg/day, p.o.) and OME (100 mg/kg/day, p.o., 7 days) + TPPU (3 mg/kg/day, p.o., last 3 days of OME dose) dissolved in vehicle PEG400, and their effect on hyperalgesia (increased sensitivity to pain) induced by PGE 2 was monitored. While OME treatment by itself exhibited variable effects on PGE 2 induced hyperalgesia, it strongly potentiated the effect of TPPU in the same assay. The significant decrease in pain with OME + TPPU treatment correlated with the increased levels of EETs in plasma and increased activities of P450 1A1 and P450 1A2 in liver microsomes. The results show that reducing catabolism of EETs with a sEH inhibitor yielded a stronger analgesic effect than increasing generation of EETs by OME, and combination of both yielded the strongest pain reducing effect under the condition of this study. - Highlights: • The soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitor TPPU is anti-hyperalgesic. • Omeprazole potentiates the anti-hyperalgesic actions of TPPU. • This potentiation is associated with increased P450 activity. • The potentiation is associated with an increase in fatty acid epoxide/diol ratio. • Joint use of sEH inhibitors and P450 inducers could result in drug–drug interactions.

The technological goal of hydrogen/deuterium exchange-mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) is to determine backbone amide hydrogen exchange rates. The most critical challenge to achieve this goal is obtaining the deuterium incorporation in single-amide resolution, and gas-phase fragmentation may provide a universal solution. The gas-phase fragmentation may generate the daughter ions which differ by a single amino acid and the difference in deuterium incorporations in the two analogous ions can yield the deuterium incorporation at the sub-localized site. Following the pioneering works by Jørgensen and Rand, several papers utilized the electron transfer dissociation (ETD) to determine the location of deuterium in single-amide resolution. This paper demonstrates further advancement of the strategy by determining backbone amide hydrogen exchange rates, instead of just determining deuterium incorporation at a single time point, in combination with a wide time window monitoring. A method to evaluate the effects of scrambling and to determine the exchange rates from partially scrambled HDX-ETD-MS data is described. All parent ions for ETD fragmentation were regio-selectively scrambled: The deuterium in some regions of a peptide ion was scrambled while that in the other regions was not scrambled. The method determined 31 backbone amide hydrogen exchange rates of cytochrome c in the non-scrambled regions. Good fragmentation of a parent ion, a low degree of scrambling, and a low number of exchangeable hydrogens in the preceding side chain are the important factors to determine the exchange rate. The exchange rates determined by the HDX-MS are in good agreement with those determined by NMR. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

The technological goal of hydrogen/deuterium exchange-mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) is to determine backbone amide hydrogen exchange rates. The most critical challenge to achieve this goal is obtaining the deuterium incorporation in single-amide resolution, and gas-phase fragmentation may provide a universal solution. The gas-phase fragmentation may generate the daughter ions which differ by a single amino acid and the difference in deuterium incorporations in the two analogous ions can yield the deuterium incorporation at the sub-localized site. Following the pioneering works by Jørgensen and Rand, several papers utilized the electron transfer dissociation (ETD) to determine the location of deuterium in single-amide resolution. This paper demonstrates further advancement of the strategy by determining backbone amide hydrogen exchange rates, instead of just determining deuterium incorporation at a single time point, in combination with a wide time window monitoring. A method to evaluate the effects of scrambling and to determine the exchange rates from partially scrambled HDX-ETD-MS data is described. All parent ions for ETD fragmentation were regio-selectively scrambled: The deuterium in some regions of a peptide ion was scrambled while that in the other regions was not scrambled. The method determined 31 backbone amide hydrogen exchange rates of cytochrome c in the non-scrambled regions. Good fragmentation of a parent ion, a low degree of scrambling, and a low number of exchangeable hydrogens in the preceding side chain are the important factors to determine the exchange rate. The exchange rates determined by the HDX-MS are in good agreement with those determined by NMR. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Two amide synthetic derivatives of 3,4-di(OH)-hydrocinnamate (HC), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylpropionic (L-serine methyl ester) amide (E030) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylpropionic (L-aspartic acid) amide (E076), were investigated to compare their lipid-lowering efficacy with HC. Male rats were fed a 1 g/100 g high-cholesterol diet for 6 weeks with supplements of either clofibrate (0.02%, w/w), HC (0.025%, w/w), E030 (0.039%, w/w) or E076 (0.041%, w/w). The clofibrate supplement was used as a positive control for the lipid-lowering efficacy. The food intakes and body weight gains were not significantly different among the groups. The plasma and hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride levels were lower in clofibrate, HC, E030, and E076-supplemented groups compared to the control group. The supplementation of HC and its amide derivatives was as effective as clofibrate in increasing the ratio of HDL-cholesterol to total plasma cholesterol and reducing the atherogenic index (AI). The hepatic cholesterol level in the HC and E076 groups was significantly lower than that in the clofibrate group. The hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA reductase) and acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activities were significantly lower in the all test groups than in the control group. The excretion of neutral sterol was significantly higher in the HC, E030, and E076-supplemented groups compared to the control group. The plasma AST and ALT activities, indirect indexes of hepatic toxicity, were significantly lower in the HC, E030, and E076-supplemented groups than in the control group. Accordingly, the current results suggest that E030 and E076, two amide synthetic derivatives of HC, are effective in lowering lipid activity

The cabbage butterfly (Artogeia rapae) antimicrobial peptide hinnavinII as a member of cecropin family is synthesized as 37 residues in size with an amidated lysine at C-terminus and shows the humoral immune response to a bacterial invasion. In this work, a synthetic gene for hinnavinII-38-Asn (HIN) with an additional amino acid asparagine residue containing amide group at C-terminus was cloned into pET-32a(+) vector to allow expression of HIN as a Trx fusion protein in Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3) pLysS. The resulting expression level of the fusion protein Trx-HIN could reach 15-20% of the total cell proteins and more than 70% of the target proteins were in soluble form. The fusion protein could be purified successfully by HiTrap Chelating HP column and a high yield of 15 mg purified fusion protein was obtained from 80 ml E. coli culture. Recombinant HIN was readily obtained by enterokinase cleavage of the fusion protein followed by FPLC chromatography, and 3.18 mg pure active recombinant HIN was obtained from 80 ml culture. The molecular mass of recombinant HIN determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer is 4252.084 Da which matches the theoretical mass (4252.0 Da) of HIN. Comparing the antimicrobial activities of the recombinant hinnavinII with C-amidated terminus to that without an amidated C-terminus, we found that the amide of asparagine at C-terminus of hinnavinII improved its potency on certain microorganism such as E. coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Bacillus megaterium, and Staphylococcus aureus.

The technological goal of hydrogen/deuterium exchange-mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) is to determine backbone amide hydrogen exchange rates. The most critical challenge to achieve this goal is obtaining the deuterium incorporation in single-amide resolution, and gas-phase fragmentation may provide a universal solution. The gas-phase fragmentation may generate the daughter ions which differ by a single amino acid and the difference in deuterium incorporations in the two analogous ions can yield the deuterium incorporation at the sub-localized site. Following the pioneering works by Jørgensen and Rand, several papers utilized the electron transfer dissociation (ETD) to determine the location of deuterium in single-amide resolution. This paper demonstrates further advancement of the strategy by determining backbone amide hydrogen exchange rates, instead of just determining deuterium incorporation at a single time point, in combination with a wide time window monitoring. A method to evaluate the effects of scrambling and to determine the exchange rates from partially scrambled HDX-ETD-MS data is described. All parent ions for ETD fragmentation were regio-selectively scrambled: The deuterium in some regions of a peptide ion was scrambled while that in the other regions was not scrambled. The method determined 31 backbone amide hydrogen exchange rates of cytochrome c in the non-scrambled regions. Good fragmentation of a parent ion, a low degree of scrambling, and a low number of exchangeable hydrogens in the preceding side chain are the important factors to determine the exchange rate. The exchange rates determined by the HDX-MS are in good agreement with those determined by NMR. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Atmospheric amides have primary and secondary sources and are present in ambient air at low pptv levels. To better assess the fate of amides in the atmosphere, the room temperature (298 ± 3 K) rate coefficients of five different amides with OH radicals were determined in a 1 m(3) smog chamber using online proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). Formamide, the simplest amide, has a rate coefficient of (4.44 ± 0.46) × 10(-12) cm(3) molec(-1) s(-1) against OH, translating to an atmospheric lifetime of ∼1 day. N-methylformamide, N-methylacetamide and propanamide, alkyl versions of formamide, have rate coefficients of (10.1 ± 0.6) × 10(-12), (5.42 ± 0.19) × 10(-12), and (1.78 ± 0.43) × 10(-12) cm(3) molec(-1) s(-1), respectively. Acetamide was also investigated, but due to its slow oxidation kinetics, we report a range of (0.4-1.1) × 10(-12) cm(3) molec(-1) s(-1) for its rate coefficient with OH radicals. Oxidation products were monitored and quantified and their time traces were fitted using a simple kinetic box model. To further probe the mechanism, ab initio calculations are used to identify the initial radical products of the amide reactions with OH. Our results indicate that N-H abstractions are negligible in all cases, in contrast to what is predicted by structure-activity relationships. Instead, the reactions proceed via C-H abstraction from alkyl groups and from formyl C(O)-H bonds when available. The latter process leads to radicals that can readily react with O2 to form isocyanates, explaining the detection of toxic compounds such as isocyanic acid (HNCO) and methyl isocyanate (CH3NCO). These contaminants of significant interest are primary oxidation products in the photochemical oxidation of formamide and N-methylformamide, respectively.

Full Text Available Epoxyeicotrienoic acids (EETs are cytochrome P450-dependent anti-hypertensive and anti-inflammatory derivatives of arachidonic acid, which are highly abundant in the kidney and considered reno-protective. EETs are degraded by the enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH and sEH inhibitors are considered treatment for chronic renal failure (CRF. We determined whether sEH inhibition attenuates the progression of CRF in the 5/6-nephrectomy model (5/6-Nx in mice. 5/6-Nx mice were treated with a placebo, an ACE-inhibitor (Ramipril, 40 mg/kg, the sEH-inhibitor cAUCB or the CYP-inhibitor fenbendazole for 8 weeks. 5/6-Nx induced hypertension, albuminuria, glomerulosclerosis and tubulo-interstitial damage and these effects were attenuated by Ramipril. In contrast, cAUCB failed to lower the blood pressure and albuminuria was more severe as compared to placebo. Plasma EET-levels were doubled in 5/6 Nx-mice as compared to sham mice receiving placebo. Renal sEH expression was attenuated in 5/6-Nx mice but cAUCB in these animals still further increased the EET-level. cAUCB also increased 5-HETE and 15-HETE, which derive from peroxidation or lipoxygenases. Similar to cAUCB, CYP450 inhibition increased HETEs and promoted albuminuria. Thus, sEH-inhibition failed to elicit protective effects in the 5/6-Nx model and showed a tendency to aggravate the disease. These effects might be consequence of a shift of arachidonic acid metabolism into the lipoxygenase pathway.

In the advancement of green syntheses and sustainable reactions, enzymatic biocatalysis offers extremely high reaction rates and selectivity that goes far beyond the reach of chemical catalysts; however, these enzymes suffer from typical environmental constraints, e.g. operational temperature, pH and tolerance to oxidative environments. A common hydrolase enzyme, diisopropylfluorophosphatase (DFPase, EC 3.1.8.2), has demonstrated a pronounced efficacy for the hydrolysis of a variety of substrates for potential toxin remediation, but suffers from the aforementioned limitations. As a means to enhance DFPase’s stability in oxidative environments, enzymatic covalent immobilization within the polymeric matrix of poly(propylene sulfide) (PPS) nanoparticles was performed. By modifying the enzyme’s exposed lysine residues via thiolation, DFPase is utilized as a comonomer/crosslinker in a mild emulsion polymerization. The resultant polymeric polysulfide shell acts as a ‘sacrificial barrier’ by first oxidizing to polysulfoxides and polysulfones, rendering DFPase in an active state. DFPase–PPS nanoparticles thus retain activity upon exposure to as high as 50 parts per million (ppm) of hypochlorous acid (HOCl), while native DFPase is observed as inactive at 500 parts per billion (ppb). This trend is also confirmed by enzyme-generated (chloroperoxidase (CPO), EC 1.11.1.10) reactive oxygen species (ROS) including both HOCl (3 ppm) and ClO 2 (100 ppm). (paper)

Inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is hypothesized to lead to an increase in circulating levels of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, resulting in the potentiation of their in vivo pharmacological properties. As part of an effort to identify inhibitors of sEH with high and sustained plasma exposure, we recently performed a high throughput screen of our compound collection. The screen identified N-(3,3-diphenyl-propyl)-nicotinamide as a potent inhibitor of sEH. Further profiling of this lead revealed short metabolic half-lives in microsomes and rapid clearance in the rat. Consistent with these observations, the determination of the in vitro metabolic profile of N-(3,3-diphenyl-propyl)-nicotinamide in rat liver microsomes revealed extensive oxidative metabolism and a propensity for metabolite switching. Lead optimization, guided by the analysis of the solid-state costructure of N-(3,3-diphenyl-propyl)-nicotinamide bound to human sEH, led to the identification of a class of potent and selective inhibitors. An inhibitor from this class displayed an attractive in vitro metabolic profile and high and sustained plasma exposure in the rat after oral administration.

Bergamot polyphenolic fraction (BPF) has been shown to positively modulate several mechanisms involved in metabolic syndrome, suggesting its use in therapy. In particular, it is able to induce a significant amelioration of serum lipid profile in hyperlipemic patients at different levels. The purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of BPF on cholesterol absorption physiologically mediated by pancreatic cholesterol ester hydrolase (pCEH). An in vitro activity assay was performed to study the effect of BPF on pCEH, whereas the rate of cholesterol absorption was evaluated through in vivo studies. In particular, male, Sprague-Dawley rats (200225 g) were fed either normal chow or chow supplemented with 0.5% cholic acid, 5.5% peanut oil, and varying amounts of cholesterol (0 to 1.5%). BPF (10 mg/Kg) was daily administrated by means of a gastric gavage to animals fed with lipid supplemented diet for 4 weeks and, at the end of the study, plasma lipids and liver cholesteryl esters were measured in all experimental groups. Our results show that BPF was able to inhibit pCEH activity and this effect was confirmed, in vivo, via detection of lymphatic cholesteryl ester in rats fed with a cholesterol-rich diet. This evidence clarifies a further mechanism responsible for the hypolipemic properties of BPF previously observed in humans, confirming its beneficial effect in the therapy of hypercholesterolemia and in the treatment of metabolic syndrome.

Full Text Available A novel acylpeptide hydrolase, named APEH-3(Ss, was isolated from the hypertermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. APEH is a member of the prolyl oligopeptidase family which catalyzes the removal of acetylated amino acid residues from the N terminus of oligopeptides. The purified enzyme shows a homotrimeric structure, unique among the associate partners of the APEH cluster and, in contrast to the archaeal APEHs which show both exo/endo peptidase activities, it appears to be a "true" aminopeptidase as exemplified by its mammalian counterparts, with which it shares a similar substrate specificity. Furthermore, a comparative study on the regulation of apeh gene expression, revealed a significant but divergent alteration in the expression pattern of apeh-3(Ss and apeh(Ss (the gene encoding the previously identified APEH(Ss from S. solfataricus, which is induced in response to various stressful growth conditions. Hence, both APEH enzymes can be defined as stress-regulated proteins which play a complementary role in enabling the survival of S. solfataricus cells under different conditions. These results provide new structural and functional insights into S. solfataricus APEH, offering a possible explanation for the multiplicity of this enzyme in Archaea.

Individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) restrict eating and become emaciated. They tend to have an aversion to foods rich in fat. Because epoxide hydrolase 2 (EPHX2) was identified as a novel AN susceptibility gene, and because its protein product

of all carbohydrate-active enzymes, it is one of the most frequently occurring glycoside hydrolases (GH). α-Amylase is the main representative of family GH13, but it is probably also present in the families GH57 and GH119, and possibly even in GH126. Family GH13, known generally as the main α...... investigation because of an obvious, but unexpected, homology with inverting β-glucan-active hydrolases....

This paper discusses selecting and implementing hydrolasing technology to reduce radioactive contamination in preparing to dispose of the K Basins; two highly contaminated concrete basins at the Hanford Site. A large collection of spent nuclear fuel stored for many years underwater at the K Basins has been removed to stable, dry, safe storage. Remediation activities have begun for the remaining highly contaminated water. sludge, and concrete basin structures. Hydrolasing will be used to decontaminate and prepare the basin structures for disposal

We developed a new model to study the molecular dynamics of the acetanilide (ACN) crystal by computer simulation. Low-frequency oscillations of the molecules as a whole were considered with high-frequency vibrations of the amidic degrees of freedom involved in hydrogen bonding. The low-temperature power spectrum has two peaks, shifted by 15 cm -1, in the region of the amide I band: one of them corresponds to the so-called anomalous amide I band in the IR and Raman spectra of ACN. We found that this peak is due to the coupling of the low-frequency motion in the chain of molecules with the motion of the hydrogen-bonded protons, at variance with current suggestions.

By using the mixed solvent of 50% H2O/50% D2O and employing deuterium decoupling, TROSY experiments exclusively detect NMR signals from semideuterated isotopomers of carboxamide groups with high sensitivities for proteins with molecular weights up to 80 kDa. This isotopomer-selective strategy extends TROSY experiments from exclusively detecting backbone to both backbone and side-chain amides, particularly in large proteins. Because of differences in both TROSY effect and dynamics between 15N–HE{DZ} and 15N–HZ{DE} isotopomers of the same carboxamide, the 15N transverse magnetization of the latter relaxes significantly faster than that of the former, which provides a direct and reliable stereospecific distinction between the two configurations. The TROSY effects on the 15N–HE{DZ} isotopomers of side-chain amides are as significant as on backbone amides. PMID:17347000

Pulse radiolysis of four cyclic amides including N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP), and the non-cyclic amide tetramethylurea (TMU) yielded absorption spectra in the near infrared that are attributed to solvated electrons. Addition of a variety of alkali-metal salts caused no detectable change in the absorption spectrum of e s - and no new absorptions attributable to alkali-metal anions were detected. The effect of dose on the decay of e s - in NMP was studied in detail. The yields of e s - in these amides were estimated by using trans-stilbene as an electron scavenger. Absorption spectra, which are not removed by saturation with N 2 O and CO 2 , are observed in the wavelength range 300-500 nm. (author)

Joining peptide is the major alpha-amidated product of pro-ACTH/endorphin (PAE) in AtT-20 corticotropic tumor cells. To study intracellular joining peptide synthesis, affinity purified antibodies directed against gamma-MSH, joining peptide, and ACTH were used to immunoprecipitate extracts from biosynthetically labeled AtT-20 cells. Immunoprecipitates were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by tryptic peptide mapping on HPLC. In steady labeling experiments, radioactivity in amidated joining peptide (JP) increased roughly linearly with time, in the manner of a final product, whereas radioactivity associated with PAE (1-94)NH2 reached a constant value after 2-4 h, indicating that PAE(1-94)NH2 is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of JP. Radioactivity appeared in ACTH(1-39) well before JP, consistent with a cleavage order in which ACTH is cleaved from PAE(1-95) before JP sequences are cleaved from PAE(1-74). This conclusion was supported by tryptic peptide analyses of immunoprecipitates, which indicated that less than 5% of JP-related material is cleaved from PAE(1-74) before being cleaved from ACTH-related sequences. After a pulse label, radioactivity in PAE(1-94)NH2 reached a peak value after 1 h of chase and declined with a half-life of less than 1 h. Amidated JP increased to a constant level after 2 h of chase. Enough radiolabeled PAE(1-94)NH2 was detected to account for about half of the radioactivity found in amidated JP, indicating that about half of JP-related material is first cleaved from PAE(1-95) before being amidated. This result was corroborated using HPLC purification to determine both amidated and glycine-extended forms of JP.

Joining peptide is the major alpha-amidated product of pro-ACTH/endorphin (PAE) in AtT-20 corticotropic tumor cells. To study intracellular joining peptide synthesis, affinity purified antibodies directed against gamma-MSH, joining peptide, and ACTH were used to immunoprecipitate extracts from biosynthetically labeled AtT-20 cells. Immunoprecipitates were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by tryptic peptide mapping on HPLC. In steady labeling experiments, radioactivity in amidated joining peptide (JP) increased roughly linearly with time, in the manner of a final product, whereas radioactivity associated with PAE (1-94)NH2 reached a constant value after 2-4 h, indicating that PAE(1-94)NH2 is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of JP. Radioactivity appeared in ACTH(1-39) well before JP, consistent with a cleavage order in which ACTH is cleaved from PAE(1-95) before JP sequences are cleaved from PAE(1-74). This conclusion was supported by tryptic peptide analyses of immunoprecipitates, which indicated that less than 5% of JP-related material is cleaved from PAE(1-74) before being cleaved from ACTH-related sequences. After a pulse label, radioactivity in PAE(1-94)NH2 reached a peak value after 1 h of chase and declined with a half-life of less than 1 h. Amidated JP increased to a constant level after 2 h of chase. Enough radiolabeled PAE(1-94)NH2 was detected to account for about half of the radioactivity found in amidated JP, indicating that about half of JP-related material is first cleaved from PAE(1-95) before being amidated. This result was corroborated using HPLC purification to determine both amidated and glycine-extended forms of JP

The density and ultrasonic velocity of aqueous solutions of formamide (FA), N-methylformamide (NMF), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), pyrrolidin-2-one (PYR), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), and their pure phases have been measured at 298.15 K and atmospheric pressure. Densities and ultrasonic velocities in pure amides have been also measured at the temperature range 288.15 K to 308.15 K for the computation of their thermal expansivities. Isentropic compressibility, intermolecular free length, relative association, apparent molar compressibility, as well as the excess quantities, ultrasonic velocity, isentropic compressibility, intermolecular free length, have been evaluated and fitted to the Redlich-Kister type equation. The deviation from ideal mixing law in ultrasonic velocity is positive while the deviations in isentropic compressibility and intermolecular free length are negative for all (amide + water) mixtures. This behavior reveals the nature and the magnitude of intermolecular interactions between the amide-water molecules. The sequence of superimposed curves of various ultrasonic parameters vs. the amide mole fraction is related to the strength of interactions between the unlike molecules and the role of -CH 3 substitution in amides. The comparison of ultrasonic to volumetric properties reveals differences on the position of the extrema and their relation with the degree of substitution while the interpretation of these differences is discussed. Two different approaches on the computation of excess functions, applied in this work, brought out a difference in the magnitude of deviations and a partial reversion to the sequence of amides curves suggesting a different estimation in terms of deviations from ideal mixing law and therefore of the relative molecular interactions

The temperature dependent anomalous peak in the amide I band of crystalline acetanilide is thought to be due to self-trapped states. On the contrary, according to the present model, the anomalous peak comes from the fraction of ACN molecules strongly hydrogen-bonded to a neighboring ACN molecule, and its intensity decreases because, on average, this fraction decreases as temperature increases. This model provides, for the first time, an integrated and theoretically consistent view of the temperature dependence of the full amide I band and a qualitative explanation of some of the features of nonlinear pump–probe experiments.

The temperature dependent anomalous peak in the amide I band of crystalline acetanilide is thought to be due to self-trapped states. On the contrary, according to the present model, the anomalous peak comes from the fraction of ACN molecules strongly hydrogen-bonded to a neighboring ACN molecule, and its intensity decreases because, on average, this fraction decreases as temperature increases. This model provides, for the first time, an integrated and theoretically consistent view of the temperature dependence of the full amide I band and a qualitative explanation of some of the features of nonlinear pump–probe experiments.

The temperature dependent anomalous peak in the amide I band of crystalline acetanilide is thought to be due to self-trapped states. On the contrary, according to the present model, the anomalous peak comes from the fraction of ACN molecules strongly hydrogen-bonded to a neighboring ACN molecule, and its intensity decreases because, on average, this fraction decreases as temperature increases. This model provides, for the first time, an integrated and theoretically consistent view of the temperature dependence of the full amide I band and a qualitative explanation of some of the features of nonlinear pump-probe experiments.

We report the apparently unprecedented direct reaction of nitric oxide (NO) with amides to generate ions of structure R(C=O)NH–N(O)=NO–, with examples including R = Me (1a) or 3-pyridyl (1b). The sodium salts of both released NO in pH 7.4 buffer, with 37 °C half-lives of 1–3 min. As NO-releasing drug candidates, diazeniumdiolated amides would have the advantage of generating only 1 equiv of base on hydrolyzing exhaustively to NO, in contrast to their amine counterparts, which generate 2 equiv of base. PMID:25210948

Full Text Available Natural bioactive compounds from plants are of great importance in modern therapeutics, which are used to prepare antibiotics, growth supplements or some other therapeutics. l-theanine is such a bioactive amide amino acid presented in different plants and fungi, especially in tea. Theanine has influential effects on lifestyle associated diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, stress relief, tumor suppression, menstruation and liver injury. This amino acid can maintain normal sleep and improve memory function and nullify effect of the neurotoxins. The rate of bioavailability and its medium of ingestion in the body is one of the great concerns for its additional antioxidant properties. Pharmacokinetics of the bioactive compound and its mode of action are described herewith. The biosynthesis and industrial synthesis are also reviewed to promote accelerated production of this bioactive compound in the pharmaceutical industries.

A putative nucleoside triphosphate hydrolase (NTPase) gene was identified in a database of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from the apicomplexan parasite Sarcocystis neurona. Analysis of culture-derived S. neurona merozoites demonstrated a dithiol-dependent NTPase activity, consistent with the presence of a homologue to the TgNTPases of Toxoplasma gondii. A complete cDNA was obtained for the S. neurona gene and the predicted amino acid sequence shared 38% identity with the two TgNTPase isoforms from T. gondii. Based on the obvious homology, the S. neurona protein was designated SnNTP1. The SnNTP1 cDNA encodes a polypeptide of 714 amino acids with a predicted 22-residue signal peptide and an estimated mature molecular mass of 70kDa. Southern blot analysis of the SnNTP1 locus revealed that the gene exists as a single copy in the S. neurona genome, unlike the multiple gene copies that have been observed in T. gondii and Neospora caninum. Analyses of the SnNTP1 protein demonstrated that it is soluble and secreted into the culture medium by extracellular merozoites. Surprisingly, indirect immunofluorescence analysis of intracellular S. neurona revealed apical localisation of SnNTP1 and temporal expression characteristics that are comparable with the microneme protein SnMIC10. The absence of SnNTP1 during much of endopolygeny implies that this protein does not serve a function during intracellular growth and development of S. neurona schizonts. Instead, SnNTP1 may play a role in events that occur during or proximal to merozoite egress from and/or invasion into cells.

An amide-functionalized metal organic framework (MOF) material, MFM-136, shows a high CO 2 uptake of 12.6 mmol g -1 at 20 bar and 298 K. MFM-136 is the first example of an acylamide pyrimidyl isophthalate MOF without open metal sites and, thus, provides a unique platform to study guest binding, particularly the role of free amides. Neutron diffraction reveals that, surprisingly, there is no direct binding between the adsorbed CO 2 /CH 4 molecules and the pendant amide group in the pore. This observation has been confirmed unambiguously by inelastic neutron spectroscopy. This suggests that introduction of functional groups solely may not necessarily induce specific guest-host binding in porous materials, but it is a combination of pore size, geometry, and functional group that leads to enhanced gas adsorption properties.

The hydrolysis of biomass to fermentable sugars using glycosyl hydrolases such as cellulases and hemicellulases is a limiting and costly step in the conversion of biomass to biofuels. Enhancement in hydrolysis efficiency is necessary and requires improvement in both enzymes and processing strategies. Advances in both areas in turn strongly depend on the progress in developing high-throughput assays to rapidly and quantitatively screen a large number of enzymes and processing conditions. For example, the characterization of various cellodextrins and xylooligomers produced during the time course of saccharification is important in the design of suitable reactors, enzyme cocktail compositions, and biomass pretreatment schemes. We have developed a microfluidic-chip-based assay for rapid and precise characterization of glycans and xylans resulting from biomass hydrolysis. The technique enables multiplexed separation of soluble cellodextrins and xylose oligomers in around 1 min (10-fold faster than HPLC). The microfluidic device was used to elucidate the mode of action of Tm_Cel5A, a novel cellulase from hyperthermophile Thermotoga maritima . The results demonstrate that the cellulase is active at 80 °C and effectively hydrolyzes cellodextrins and ionic-liquid-pretreated switchgrass and Avicel to glucose, cellobiose, and cellotriose. The proposed microscale approach is ideal for quantitative large-scale screening of enzyme libraries for biomass hydrolysis, for development of energy feedstocks, and for polysaccharide sequencing.

The methyl carbamate-degrading hydrolase (MCD) of Achromobacter WM111 has considerable potential as a pesticide bioremediation agent. However this potential has been unrealisable until now because of an inability to express MCD in heterologous hosts such as Escherichia coli. Herein, we describe the first successful attempt to express appreciable quantities of MCD in active form in E. coli, and the subsequent characterisation of the heterologously expressed material. We find that the properties of this material closely match the previously reported properties of MCD produced from Achromobacter WM111. This includes the presence of two distinct forms of the enzyme that we show are most likely due to the presence of two functional translational start sites. The purified enzyme catalyses the hydrolysis of a carbamate (carbaryl), a carboxyl ester (alpha-naphthyl acetate) and a phophotriester (dimethyl umbelliferyl phosphate) and it is relatively resistant to thermal and solvent-mediated denaturation. The robust nature and catalytic promiscuity of MCD suggest that it could be exploited for various biotechnological applications.

Full Text Available Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1, aka PGP9.5 is an abundant, neuronal deubiquitinating enzyme that has also been suggested to possess E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase activity and/or stabilize ubiquitin monomers in vivo. Recent evidence implicates dysregulation of UCH-L1 in the pathogenesis and progression of human cancers. Although typically only expressed in neurons, high levels of UCH-L1 have been found in many nonneuronal tumors, including breast, colorectal, and pancreatic carcinomas. UCH-L1 has also been implicated in the regulation of metastasis and cell growth during the progression of nonsmall cell lung carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and lymphoma. Together these studies suggest UCH-L1 has a potent oncogenic role and drives tumor development. Conversely, others have observed promoter methylation-mediated silencing of UCH-L1 in certain tumor subtypes, suggesting a potential tumor suppressor role for UCH-L1. In this paper, we provide an overview of the evidence supporting the involvement of UCH-L1 in tumor development and discuss the potential mechanisms of action of UCH-L1 in oncogenesis.

Pyrazine nucleosides are derivable from amino acidamides and pentoses under plausibly prebiotic conditions. Pyrazines share features similar to adenine or thymine, and may behave as an informational polymer when polymerized as pyrazine nucleic acid.

A process in a resulting product of the process in which a hydrogen storage metal amide is modified by a ball milling process using an additive of TPP. The resulting product provides for a hydrogen storage metal amide having a coating that renders the hydrogen storage metal amide resistant to air, ambient moisture, and liquid water while improving useful hydrogen storage and release kinetics.